DAP stands firmly with Article 152(1) of the Federal Constitution and the existence of vernacular schools. Article 152(1) states that the national language shall be the Malay language, but Malaysians can use learn or teach other languages, as well as Federal or state government can preserve and sustain, the use and study of other languages.
Under such guarantees in the Federal Constitution, vernacular primary schools have existed with some form of government funding support since Merdeka in 1957. Despite such constitutional guarantees, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, is calling for the closure of vernacular schools.
PN has earned the dubious distinction of being the first government in history having a Deputy Minister flagrantly violating the Federal Constitution. Never in history, has any member of administration called for the closure of vernacular schools, that has deeply offended Malaysians supporting vernacular education.
To prevent racial provocation on the language issue, laws have been enacted to prohibit even MPs from relying on parliamentary privilege to question Article 152, when they speak in Parliament. There was even an MP who was charged and convicted of sedition in 1982 for speaking in Parliament calling for the closure of vernacular schools.
Here we have the Bersatu Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports setting a bad example for future generations by seeking to undermine and pervert the Federal Constitution. Strengthening the command of Bahasa Malaysia in vernacular schools will gain the support of all Malaysians, but to close vernacular schools to achieve this is irrational and extreme in nature.
Such threats deserve condemnation by rational Malaysians who respect and uphold the Federal Constitution. It is sad that no Minister or Deputy Minister has openly condemned such racially provocative remarks. Even Ministers and Deputy Ministers, who in the past had supported vernacular schools, prefer silence so as not to offend this Bersatu Deputy Minister.
Since my last statement on 1 September that calling for the closing down of vernacular schools is an attack against the Federal Constitution and established laws in the country raises the following question. Should the Deputy Minister then be charged for sedition? DAP prefers instead that the Deputy Minister withdraw and apologise to put an end to this unconstitutional racial polemic that will only divide rather than unite Malaysians.