MCA committed to survival of Chinese education

KUALA LUMPUR: Issues and solutions concerning Chinese education reflect the state of politics in Barisan Nasional, of which MCA is a component party, says Datuk Chong Sin Woon.

The MCA Youth chief said the party was committed to ensuring the survival of Chinese education – a pledge it has upheld since the country’s independence in 1957.

“Along the years, we could also see how a leader uses his power (on Chinese education),” he said, citing the repeal of the Education Act 1961 21(2) in 1996 when Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was the Education Minister.

The Education Act 1961 21(2) empowered the minister to close down vernacular schools or convert them into national schools.

The repeal, Chong added, was in stark contrast to the act by Najib’s predecessor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in sending non-Chinese-educated teachers to hold senior positions in Chinese schools in 1987.

Anwar’s move triggered racial conflict and protest, culminating with Operasi Lalang that year which saw 106 people, including political leaders from both sides of the divide and activists, detained under the Internal Security Act.

Chong said that more than a week ago, the Government’s approval of 10 new Chinese primary schools and the relocation of six other schools to areas with demand for Chinese schools were indications of the ruling coalition’s inclusiveness and moderate stand.

The announcement of the schools came not long after Najib promised more new Chinese primary schools during a patriotic gathering of the Chinese community in September.

Speaking at the opening of the MCA Youth annual general meeting yesterday, Chong also said the party must be vigilant in the wake of growing extremism in recent years.

MCA, he said, has to play a “balancing role” in helping to maintain continued moderation in the country, cautioning that there will be no return once extremism takes root.

“There is no room for complacency,” he said, adding that the party needs a strong mandate from the people in the coming general election to translate it into a bigger voice in Barisan.