I’m a product of vernacular schools, says Gerakan president

 

Senator Dominic Lau thanked the education ministry for recognising the important role of vernacular schools in the national education system. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Gerakan president Dominic Lau today came to the defence of vernacular schools, saying he is evidence that these schools could produce students with a good command of Bahasa Melayu.

The senator maintained that the notion students from vernacular schools, where Mandarin or Tamil is used as the medium of instruction, could not speak Bahasa Melayu fluently was false.

“I have not only mastered Mandarin and English, but I can also speak in Bahasa Melayu,” he told the Dewan Negara.

Lau said certain “irresponsible” parties had claimed that vernacular schools were one of the obstacles in the way of national unity, referring to a claim made by academic Teo Kok Seong which has led to a police probe.

“Apparently, there’s a study to back this (claim) up. I would like to ask the education ministry, has it found any evidence that vernacular schools are obstructing national unity?”

Lau, a deputy chairman of Perikatan Nasional, urged all parties to stop making “threats” against vernacular schools, while thanking the education ministry for recognising their important role in the national education system.

He suggested that the government hold a nationwide roadshow involving successful figures from vernacular schools to educate Malaysians on the positive aspects of these schools and tackle negative sentiments.

Earlier this month, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh called for a comprehensive assessment of vernacular schools to strengthen racial harmony and national unity.

This was part of a three-part plan mooted by Akmal, which also included an in-depth study into improvements to the national education system, and plans for an integrative education model based on common values and a sense of belonging.

Education minister Fadhlina Sidek later said Putrajaya did not plan to revamp vernacular schools, saying they were recognised by the Education Act.

Teo, a senior fellow at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s ethnic studies institute, also stirred controversy after saying that Malaysian Chinese thought lowly of the Malays and that vernacular schools were an obstacle in the way of national unity.

The academic is being probed under Section 505 of the Penal Code for public mischief and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for improper use of network facilities. - FMT