Netizens reveal PAS’ previous condemnation of vernacular schools

 

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the party has never opposed the existence of vernacular schools in the country, but with the netizens scrutinising every move of the political class, those on the X platform readily provided clips of past statements by PAS leaders condemning vernacular schools.

While the Pasir Mas MP said that PAS only asked for some reforms to be made to the mainstream schools, he added that the party was never opposed to the system.

“PAS has never opposed vernacular schools, we even stated that vernacular schools can exist but with some reforms.

“We can discuss the reform in terms of the curriculum and so on and what is suggested by academic experts.

“For us, the vernacular school has no issue,” he told reporters at a group talk in Taman Ampang Pecah, yesterday (May 4).

The issue came to light during the Kuala Kubu Bharu by-elections campaign where Fadhli challenged the PH candidate Pang Sock Tao to share her SPM results to show where she studied.

He also hoped that the issue of Pang being educated in a Chinese school would ‘continue’ to be an exploited issue throughout the by-election.

Now it is for the netizens to show the PAS information chief what his party has said before on the matter.

A user posted some media reports showing the PAS Muslimat Council representative in 2019 Salamiah Md Nor said her party PAS want Pakatan Harapan (PH) to abolish vernacular schools.

She said this is because the policies involved do not contribute to racial unity.

“As a representative of the PAS Muslimat Council, I am calling and expecting the PH government to take action and stop vernacular education.

“We see that this system does not close the gap of understanding between the races,” she said.

Users note opposition’s (the Bersatu this time) flip-flop on vernacular schools: Firm stance to abolish vernacular schools off-elections, flip during campaigns to win votes.

Most users attacked the PAS and the opposition for the flip-flop on the issue, with some saying it was just a ploy to win votes during the by-election. For many, such tactics show how difficult it is for voters to trust the political class.

- Focus Malaysia