Vernacular schools don't have quotas like matriculation, Bersatu told

DAP Youth has rebuked its counterpart in Bersatu for suggesting that vernacular schools should be dissolved before there is any discussion about the race quota in matriculations.

"DAP Youth does not agree with the rhetoric mixing the existence of vernacular schools with the matriculation quota.

"Vernacular schools has never discriminated and welcomed all races regardless race be it Malays, Chinese or Indians and has no quota...," it said in a statement today.

The statement was endorsed by 15 out of 25 DAP youth exco members, including deputy chief Chiong Yoke Kong. DAP Youth chief Howard Lee was not part of the signatories.

It added that this is in contrast to matriculation which reserves 90 percent of space for bumiputera and another 10 percent for non-bumiputera.

"According to the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong), Chinese vernacular schools have 520,000 students in 2019, of which 18 percent or 90,000 are Malays, which shows that vernacular schools are accepted by all," it said.

It was responding to Bersatu Youth exco member Muzzammill Ismail who was unhappy with MCA, Gerakan and DAP for criticising Education Minister Maszlee Malik over the matriculation quota.

"If we want to discuss justice, don't challenge the openness that is granted. If not, dissolve vernacular schools - then we can discuss the matriculation quota," he had said.

DAP Youth, in its statement today, said same every student should have equal opportunities in education.

"The new government in Malaysia Baru should not be trapped in the old framework and should move forward with an inclusive policy that does not discriminate," he said. - Mkini