MCA lambasts ex-judge over vernacular education remark

MCA has taken aim at former Appeals Court judge Datuk Mohd Noor Abdullah over his remarks that Chinese education should be included into the national school curriculum which teaches all languages.

The party's publicity bureau chief Datuk Heng Seai Kie said that Mohd Noor was "playing with fire" by meddling in Chinese education.

"He is stirring racial sensitivities again. Stern action should be taken against him," Heng said in a statement.

Mohd Noor's extremist stand and constant irresponsible public statements did not bode well for anyone, she said.

"We (MCA and the Chinese community) have always accepted Bahasa Malaysia as the nation's official language and we have never questioned its official status.

"In fact, the Chinese community has studied Malay as a compulsory subject in primary and secondary school as well as in university," Heng added.

She said the fact that the community was able to converse fluently in the language proved that it had not disregarded the importance of the national language.

"The right to have vernacular schools is enshrined in the Federal Constitution and each race should not be denied its constitutional right to learn their mother tongue," she said, adding that Mohd Noor’s remarks could only be considered detrimental to social harmony.

Heng reiterated that there was ample data to prove that Chinese primary schools were popular among the non-Chinese, given the yearly increase in attendance by non-Chinese students. "Vernacular schools cannot be accused of promoting racist agendas or segregation."

Heng questioned if Mohd Noor was attempting to fulfill his 'own agenda' by styling himself as a hero. "This is not the first time he has publicly condemned vernacular education and I hope he has the sense to stop playing with fire, " she said.

Mohd Noor had made the suggestion at a forum in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, adding that he "did not mean doing away with such schools". "We are not killing the language... we are asking everyone to be given a chance to learn the language," he was quoted.

He had also admitted that he did not see a need for vernacular schools as the subjects taught were also available at national schools.

The former justice had already caused a ruckus last month when he declared efforts should be made to retain Malay political power and increase economic share to 67 per cent within a decade.