Fight without fear

National-type secondary schools to receive Rm30mil

With the general election ahead, MCA has sounded its clarion call of ‘Battle without Fear’ as Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak renewed the Government’s commitment to support Chinese education, maintain a strong economy, ensure a just and inclusive government and provide good governance.

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese nationaltype secondary schools will get a RM30mil grant next year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak promised.

This is in addition to the RM100mil allocated to Chinese primary schools under Budget 2013.

Noting that education was one of four areas of deep concern to the Chinese community, Najib said he had discussed the grant with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Education Minister.

“This is our way of being fair,” he said in his speech at MCA’s 59th annual general assembly.

There are 78 Chinese nationaltype schools in the country with more than 125,000 students.

Najib assured the community that Chinese schools would always be part of the country’s education system as “this was the decision of our founding fathers”.

“We are the only nation in SouthEast Asia where Chinese education is part of the national education,” he said.

Najib also took note of the other three key concerns – the economy, just and inclusive administration and good governance.

He said the country’s economy was on the upswing, adding that a major announcement on the ease of doing business in Malaysia would be made next week.

Najib said he understood the community’s need for a just and fair government. “All of us want a better and promising future.”

On good governance, Najib said this was addressed in Budget 2013 as well as under the Government Transformation Programme, which had provisions for fighting crime, tackling corruption and providing good public transport.

He also took Pakatan Rakyat to task for not having any plan for the country, although they harp on taking over Putrajaya.

“They do not have anything beyond taking over the Prime Minister’s post and taking over the Government,” he added.

“They don’t have any agenda that can bring the country to greater heights. Like what MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said, they are consistently inconsistent.

“That is why we should not gamble away the country’s future. We have worked so hard to build the country.

“We are not going to sacrifice what we have done,” he said.

Najib said, unlike Pakatan, Barisan Nasional had a clear road map and plans for the country’s future, such as the various transformation programmes that were showing results.

Najib also sounded the election war drums by lauding MCA for its high spirits and readiness for the polls.

He praised Dr Chua’s speech for being “fiery and firing from all cylinders”, adding that everyone should close ranks, be loyal and work hard to ensure Barisan’s victory.