High time for Tamil high school, says Dong Zong

Better late than never, Chinese educationists Dong Zong said today on the issue of setting up the country's first Tamil high school.

The idea was first mooted directly two weeks ago to Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (right) by the Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party (MMSP) but the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM or Dong Zong) said in a statement, that it is at least 57 years too late.

They cited that the country already had independent Chinese high schools and Malay high schools shortly after Malaysia received independence from the British.

"However, a Tamil high school is still nowhere in sight. Indian civilisation is one of the four greatest civilisations in the world, and Tamil is undoubtedly an integral part of that civilisation. It is therefore a grave mistake, or even a full-blown tragedy, to ignore it or hinder its rightful progress," Dong Zong said in the press release.

It said that the demand was fully in tandem with the Malaysian spirit and more.

"The country's constitution as well as United Nations human rights mandate and educational rights of minority groups to their mother tongues is stipulated by Unesco."

Backing a Tamil school would be the kind of development that the National Unity Consultative (NUCC) should back, Dong Zong said. It added that that allowing such a school was 'an acid test' to racial unity, harmony and national development.

Muhyiddin was however reported to be non-committal when the idea was raised by MMSP president R Thanenthiran (right) on Dec 1.

He would only reiterate a promise that Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools will exist under the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025) but said nothing more about advancing these schools.