Probe Umno man for sedition over call to scrap Chinese schools, says MCA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — MCA leaders called today for a sedition investigation against an Umno division leader for suggesting that the ethnic Malay party that dominates government debate abolishing the Chinese vernacular school system at its annual assembly.

MCA religious harmony bureau chair Datuk Ti Lian Ker said Petaling Jaya Utara Umno deputy division chief Mohamad Azli Mohemed Saad’s proposal went against the Federal Constitution and contradicted Barisan Nasional’s policy in allowing Malaysians to study in their mother tongue.

“Not only has Mohamad Azli challenged the rights of all Malaysians to study their mother-tongue language, but he has also questioned the legitimate rights of the Chinese community to education, and his careless call is liable to create racial tension,” Ti said in a statement today.

He reminded Mohamad Azli that the late Sabah Umno MP Datuk Mark Koding was charged with sedition in 1978 for calling for the closure of Chinese and Tamil schools. He was convicted four years later.

“Even in the previous general election, the BN government had pledged to continue funding for the construction of national-type schools, and if Mohamad Azil disagrees with this, he is very much welcomed to leave BN,” said Ti.

Mohamad Azli was reported today as saying that the Umno general assembly next month should discuss closing down Chinese schools, claiming that the vernacular schools are purportedly used by the opposition to spread racial and anti-government sentiments.

Wanita MCA chief Datuk Heng Seai Kie similarly reminded Mohamad Azli not to violate the Sedition Act 1948 or to question the position of vernacular schools as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

“In fact, as a ruling Barisan Nasional party, we should set a good example to the rakyat, that we reject extremism, promote the spirit of 1 Malaysia, and stand firm to safeguard the unity and harmony of our beloved country of diversity,” Heng told Malay Mail Online today.

She said that Article 152(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution guarantees that Malay is the national language only if the right to study and use the other languages in question are preserved.

Heng also said the purported problems of racism or teachers promoting their own political beliefs were not peculiar to vernacular education, stressing that such schools follow the national curriculum.

Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong said it was not a good idea to abolish vernacular education as Chinese and Tamil schools have been part of Malaysia’s education system for the past half century.

“Both Tamil and Chinese schools have played their role in nation-building,” Mah told Malay Mail Online.

DAP national political education director Liew Chin Tong said national and vernacular schools should teach all languages so that language will no longer be used to differentiate ethnic groups.

“I envision a Malaysia where everyone masters a few languages and there’s no need to say that this is a Chinese, Malay or Tamil school,” Liew told Malay Mail Online.

DAP strategist Dr Ong Kian Ming dismissed Mohamad Azli’s claims on the opposition exploiting Chinese vernacular schools.

“How can he say that the opposition is exploiting vernacular schools when opposition MPs and ADUNs are not even allowed to enter these schools for official functions?” he said.

-malaymail