MPM reported for calls to close vernacular schools

Susan Loone

Aug 24, 10

7:14pm

The Penang based Parti Cinta Malaysia has lodged a police report in Prai against the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) for asking for the closure of Chinese and Tamil schools.

In his report, PCM vice president Huan Cheng Guan (right) urged the police to investigate and take action on MPM's three committee members who asked for the closure, which in this country, is regarded as a sensitive issue.

The three are MPM secretary-general Hasan Mad, committee members Mohd Hilmi Ismail and Kamaruddin Kachar.

"I personally felt that it is provocative in nature to ask for the closure of Tamil and Chinese schools," said Huan, in a press conference after lodging the report.

"After 53 years of Merdeka, I felt that it's a shame to touch on this issue," he added.

"The foreign press are watching us, and if we keep on calling the Chinese to 'balik Cina' and the Indians to 'balik India', then who would like to come and invest in our country?"

PCM has joined several groups including BN Youth wings - MCA and MIC - to lodge reports over MPM for calling for the abolition of Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools.

'Don't question constitution'

Today Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, said the establishment of vernacular schools had been agreed upon by the founding fathers of the country, and is guaranteed in the constitution.

"So don't go questioning the constitution. Vernacular schools are already part of the national education system," said Khairy (left) at a press conference at party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

The MPM on Saturday demanded for the government to abolish vernacular schools in favour of a single national school system, blaming racial misunderstandings on the variety of school systems.

Sedition laws may apply to MPM as such schools are protected under the Education Act 1996 and Article 152 (A) of the federal constitution.

Meanwhile, Huan is asking the goverment to review the registration of Malay ultra rights group, Pribumi Perkasa Negara (Perkasa).

"I think they are playing the role of more than a political party; therefore they should be deregistered and instead, they should set up a political party," he said.

"Then we shall see whether the Chinese and Indians will vote for them or not," he added.

"As citizens, we love our country, even if we travel aboard , we talk good about our country. I urge them not to question our loyalty to Malaysia," he stressed.