In August, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim had said that the existence of Chinese primary schools is an obstacle to national unity. He also asked the government to cease building new Chinese primary schools.
When speaking at the Bera Umno divisional meeting on August 10, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Datuk Sabri Ismail Yaakob said that the existence of vernacular schools has resulted in the lack of mutual respect among the races.
Such baseless, unfair and irresponsible comments ought to have been strongly rebutted by the Cabinet. But the Cabinet has remained silent on this unfair Chinese school bashing by a Minister and a deputy Minister.
It is obvious that the Cabinet’s silence has now embolden Petaling Jaya Utara Umno duty division chief Mohamad Azli Mohemed Saad to suggest two days ago that the upcoming Umno General Assembly should discuss the abolition of the Chinese vernacular schools.
Mohamad Azli’s allegation that “Chinese vernacular schools have been exploited by opposition parties to incite hatred towards other races, and spread racial and anti-government sentiments” is totally baseless, irresponsible and vicious.
Chinese vernacular schools have been around even before Merdeka and they have made immense contribution to the nation. They certainly do not hinder racial harmony and national unity.
No quarter should make vernacular school a punching bag or scapegoat for government’s failure to forge strong national unity and BN’s unsatisfactory electoral performance.
Instead of blaming the vernacular school system, these Umno leaders should look at why government policies have failed to win support of the people.
In August, MCA Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong had responded to the unfair and extremist comments against Chinese primary schools by saying that there was no necessity to overact to the comments as they did not represent the education Ministry’s stand.
Wee‘s response was most disappointing.
Even though such comments are not government’s stand, such baseless and unfair comments will create racial prejudice against the Chinese primary schools as well misunderstanding and suspicion among the races.
The comments are also a challenge to the Malaysians’ constitutional right to learn and study the mother tongue language.
It is therefore time that the Cabinet must take a clear and strong stand against all these Chinese primary schools bashing comments by Umno leaders.