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International mother language day: DAP to launch a series of programmes starting February 15
 
Press Statement
by Kerk Kim Hock

(Seremban, Tuesday): February 21 will be the International Mother Language Day (IMLD), first observed by the UNESCO and its member states four years ago.

 

In conjunction with the fifth IMLD, DAP will launch a series of programmes to highlight the importance of mother language as well as to ensure fair and equitable government treatment to all mother tongue education.

 

A Committee, headed by DAP National Publicity Secretary Ronnie Liu, has been formed to carry out national wide activities and programmes.

 

In his message in conjunction with previous year’s celebration, the UNESCO Director General, Koichiro Matchiro said that each language is a unique response to the human condition and each is a living heritage we should cherish.

 

Being a home of several mother tongues, the government itself should celebrate the IMLD in a big way to remind everyone of the importance of cherishing our living heritage, the government must also accord equal and just treatment to all types of schools in the nation.

 

With the general election drawing nearer and nearer, we can expect Barisan Nasional leaders to again heap praises about the Chinese schools and their contribution to the nation. However, even though the nation has faced 10 general elections, the many problems faced by the Chinese schools remain unresolved.

 

Hence, as part of the IMLD celebrations, DAP will call on the government to:

 

  1. allow the building of Chinese primary schools according to the population need
  2. allocate development expenditure to all schools according to the population need
  3. solve the problem of shortage of trained teachers
  4. approve the building of or reestablishment of previous Chinese independent secondary schools
  5. approve regular and sufficient allocations to assist the Chinese independent secondary schools
  6. recognize the United Examination Certificate of Chinese independent secondary schools


(27/1/2004)

* Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General and MP for Kota Melaka