MCA bangs DAP on Buku Jingga yet again: Why no details on Chinese education?

When DAP Vice Chairman Tan Kok Wai said that Pakatan’s Buku Jingga has clearly stated that all vernacular schools should be given fair treatment and allocation, as well as recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), it is plainly obvious that he is only trying to deceive the people by hiding the fact that they cannot commit to their promises.

His claims of the above mentioned commitments are ridiculous, as the subject of education laid out in their Buku Jingga is at best a minor topic, and the promises that all schools will receive fair allocation and that the UEC will be recognized, which are the major concerns of the Chinese community, are vague and ambiguous, and MCA will not simply accept DAP’s word on this.

What we want is not a verbal promise, but a real commitment, a promise listed out in black and white by Pakatan in their Buku Jingga.Regrettably, such promises cannot be found in their manifesto, thus proving that DAP’s attempts to gather support by promising the recognition of the UEC and ensuring enough teachers for Chinese primary schools are nothing but a waste of breath.

Silence from PAS & PKR?

While DAP has continuously defended Pakatan by saying that Chinese education will not be forsaken, the silence of PAS President Dato’ Seri Hadi Awang and PKR ketua umum Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim on DAP’s position is forbearing of their disagreement on it. Therefore, it seems that Tan Kok Wai and other DAP leaders seem to be speaking only for their own amusement.

Not a single influential Pakatan leader has expressed any position over this issue – we have heard neither a promise to increase the number of Chinese primary schools, nor a promise to recognize the UEC by Pakatan leaders should they win the Federal government. It seems that DAP, as the smallest party within the Pakatan coalition, is now desperate to gain the people’s support and has thus intended to deceive the Chinese community.

EVERYTHING must be listed in Buku Jingga?

Besides that, DAP’s claims only make us wonder which version of the Buku Jingga are they referring to? As we all know, Pakatan leaders constantly contradict each other, increasing the possibility that there may be varying versions of the Buku Jingga.

For example, the Pakatan Kedah and Kelantan state governments had both implemented certain Islamic policies such as the ban on gambling and forcing men and women to sit separately, as well as the tearing down of the sole pig abbatoir in Kedah.

Seeing as these are not listed in the Buku Jingga, it is a mystery why DAP had chosen to keep silent when these rules were implemented.

Thus, it can only be concluded that DAP and Pakatan are willing to do anything to win, including coming up with different versions of their election manifesto to cater to the different demands of the different communities, as well as to deceive the public and the Chinese community.

Datuk Seri Tan Chai Ho
MCA Treasurer General