'Malay hero' aspirant challenged to debate on vernacular schools

 

Former Bagan Dalam assemblyperson Satees Muniandy has challenged Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh to a debate regarding vernacular schools.

The interim leadership council member of Urimai said the debate would allow him to educate Akmal, whom he accused of exploiting this issue to emerge as a “Malay hero”, on the Federal Constitution.

“I challenge Akmal to a debate, where I can prove that his points are nothing but old rhetoric to retain his party’s dwindling popularity. 

“I can also put some sense into him to understand the Federal Constitution, which guarantees the right to vernacular and religious education in Malaysia.

“Let us debate factually to prove our points, instead of using racist and stereotypical terms. If he really has points to prove, he should be ready to debate,” he added in a statement to Malaysiakini.

The former DAP member issued the challenge in response to Akmal’s intoxication-laden sarcastic retort to former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy calling him “delusional” for suggesting that vernacular schools caused racial divisions.

Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh

Satees also claimed that Akmal had proven to be a “narrow-minded racist”, which, according to him, is a “basic qualification to be an Umno Youth chief”.

“It is a tradition for Umno Youth chiefs to show off their ‘racist’ credentials to impress their segment of voters. We have seen how the (past) Umno Youth chiefs displayed their ‘racist’ nature, especially by targeting vernacular schools,” he added.

Malays have rejected Umno

Satees said although the Federal Constitution guaranteed the rights of Malaysians to preserve their cultural identities, especially vernacular education, people like Akmal continue to challenge it.

The former assemblyperson said this is the reason Umno and BN gradually lost the support of non-Malay voters.

“And now the Malays themselves have realised that Umno is just full of rhetoric and have rejected the party.

“Akmal is harping on the same old tactic of blaming the vernacular schools to emerge as a ‘Malay hero’ without understanding the real problem of national integration. 

“It is not vernacular schools that are a stumbling block to the emergence of a national identity but politicians like Akmal who can’t understand the Federal Constitution and celebrate our unity in diversity,” he added. 

Disputing the Umno Youth chief’s “dream world” assertion that vernacular school students have a poor command of the Malay language, Satees said he can show evidence of vernacular schools recording 100 percent pass in the Malay subject.

“People like Akmal will resort to name-calling and racist rants when they are unable to debate with facts,” he added.

Satees sarcastically added that Akmal could “bring along his newfound allies in DAP” to support him during the debate.

Satees and Ramasamy were former DAP assemblypersons. Both quit the party after being dropped as candidates in the last election. - Mkini