A heartwarming photograph has emerged, which could serve as a poignant lesson for politicians and others who have been bickering over vernacular schools.
This photograph on the Facebook page of a Chinese school in Kajang, SJK C Yu Hua, depicted a Chinese pupil walking together with a Malay pupil wearing a tudung on the first day of school.
The two of them can be seen holding hands.
“I witnessed a touching scene and decided to capture it with words and photos,” read the post in Chinese.
According to the post, the Malay pupil appeared nervous about entering the school grounds and her mother was seen encouraging her to be brave.
At the same time, the Chinese pupil was visibly worried as well.
However, the two found courage in each other to face this new beginning in their lives. They held each other’s hands and walked together in silence towards the school.
“There was little communication between them. Perhaps both were anxious…
“This heartwarming scene touched me. It emphasised the power of friendship and inclusivity,” added the post.
Among those who commented on the post was Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, who said: “This is the diversity and harmony which we should celebrate and defend.”
“Muhibbah: a Malay word meaning a feeling of friendship, camaraderie, tolerance and understanding. It’s commonly used in multi-racial, multi-cultural settings as a rakyat Malaysia,” read another comment.
Bickering politicians
On the political front, politicians have been arguing and hurling insults at each other over allegations that vernacular schools are a stumbling block to race relations.
Among them was Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Salleh, who asked former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy if he was “drunk” when the latter called him “delusional”.
Akmal had suggested for the government to refine the schooling system, saying perhaps it is time for a single-stream education system to be implemented.
He called on the government to conduct a detailed evaluation of the vernacular education system, by inculcating nationalistic aspects while strengthening its students’ command of the Malay language.
Ramasamy responded that Akmal was wrong to blame vernacular schools for racial divisions and blamed politics instead. - Mkini
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