Vernacular schools: Drop the insults, let's talk over coffee, Rajiv tells Akmal

 

Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran has told Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Salleh that if he is sincere about national unity, he should not sully debates by belittling those with different views.

In a response to Akmal’s swipe against former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy, Rajiv offered to buy Akmal a coffee and have a chat over the hot topic of vernacular schools.

“Insulting those with different views is certainly not the path towards national unity.

“Before shooting down decades of successful vernacular education, to which might I point out, SJKC schools are the most multiracial schools today compared to national schools (SK), why don’t you engage everyone in dialogue?

“If your motivation is to stir and rile up your supporters, showing your racial credentials, then I guess you’ll keep spewing this kind of statements,” said Rajiv (above) in a statement.

He said that if Akmal was sincere about national unity, then a civil dialogue was the way forward.

“Talk to the political parties and NGOs who feel strongly about vernacular schools and understand where they are coming from.

“The responsibility of the success of this unity government to be the government for all Malaysians is equally on both of us. 

“Start with me. Let’s have coffee. I’ll belanja (treat). Do you accept?” said Rajiv to Akmal.

Vernacular schools contradict ‘Bangsa Malaysia’

Last night, Akmal questioned the logic behind espousing a “Bangsa Malaysia” while insisting on vernacular schools, saying that such arguments are why racial unity can’t be fostered.

“You say your party is multiracial and wants to form a Bangsa Malaysia, but on education you want there to be separation?

“Politicians such as yourself are why unity between the races can’t be fostered all this while.

“Kamu mabuk ke apa? (Are you drunk or what?),” he posted on Facebook last night in response to Ramasamy.

Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh

“Mabuk ke apa” is a common Malay colloquialism to say that someone is either confused or not making sense.

However, implying drunkenness is also a common racist stereotype against Indians.

Bangsa Malaysia commonly refers to a vision in which people view themselves as Malaysians first, instead of by race.

Ramasamy’s new party Urimai is open to all races, but is “Indian-focused”.

The current hot debate began on Wednesday (March 6), when Akmal suggested that Putrajaya refine the schooling system, saying that perhaps the time has come for a single-stream education system to be implemented.

He later 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 by saying that Akmal was wrong to blame vernacular schools for racial divisions and blamed politics instead.

Last month, the Federal Court rejected an appeal by two NGOs seeking to declare vernacular schools unconstitutional, thereby protecting their constitutionality. - Mkini