By Chong Zhemin, DAP Perak Economic Development Bureau Chief

Federal Territories Umno Youth chief Mohd Razlan is wrong when he said Chinese national-type schools (SJKC) are very ‘dangerous’ if it creates enclaves where people could get by without speaking the national language.

It is a matter of fact that Chinese national-type schools (SJKC) are not only open to all Malaysians regardless of race and religion but is also the most diverse and inclusive Malaysian school. According to the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 – 2025, there are 94 percent of Bumiputera students in National primary schools, 88 percent of Chinese students in Chinese primary schools, 100 percent of Indian students in Tamil primary schools and 100 percent of Bumiputera students in religious schools.

Compared to 6 percent of non-Bumiputera students in National primary schools, Chinese primary schools have 12 percent of non-Chinese students which makes it the most diverse and inclusive Malaysian school.

According to Jiao Zong’s survey conducted in December last year, there are 30 Chinese primary schools where more than 70 percent of the students are non-Chinese students. Out of 356 Chinese Primary schools surveyed, there are 314 Chinese primary schools with non-Chinese students. All these statistics prove that Mohd Razlan’s accusation and assault on Chinese national-type schools are baseless, unfounded and unsubstantiated.

There is absolutely nothing dangerous about Chinese national-type schools. Therefore, it is politicians like Mohd Razlan who make baseless, unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations.

It is also unfair for Mohd Razlan to put the blame on SJKC schools quoting 600 students entering the national service programme could not speak Malay at all.

A survey by JobStreet.com in September last year found that 55 percent of senior managers and companies mentioned poor command of the English language as the main reason for unemployment among undergraduates.

Going by Mohd Razlan’s logic, should we put the blame or bash a particular type of school for the poor command of English language among undergraduates? Bashing and victimising a particular type of school, be it the National school, Chinese primary school, Tamil primary school or religious school is completely missing the point. Instead, efforts and steps need to be taken to raise the quality of education in the schools and to improve the student’s language proficiency.

Mohd Razlan also mentioned that if there is consensus that SJKC should not be continued, they will ‘stop’ them, in which he said, meant no new vernacular school should be built.

I would like to remind Mohd Razlan that the Barisan Nasional education policy since Malaysia independence was to ‘stop’ vernacular schools. No new Chinese or Tamil primary schools are allowed to be built unless an old school was shut down.

I call on Putrajaya to abolish this discriminative, absurd and unreasonable education policy and allow Chinese and Tamil primary schools to be built according to needs. There is nothing political in making this call as education needs must stand above politics.
During the MCA annual general assembly last month, Prime Minister Najib defended Chinese Primary schools saying that SJKC are guaranteed and protected under the Federal Constitution. It is now time for Najib to walk the talk. Najib must immediately censure Mohd Razlan for launching a scathing attack on SJKC to prove that he is not a hypocrite and that he meant every word he said during the MCA annual general assembly.

Will Najib finally walk the talk or will he soon be exposed as double-faced – saying one thing in front of MCA delegates but another in front of UMNO members?