Nik Nazmi noted that many Chinese schools are more "multiracial" than national schools and “some race-based parties out there".
Children from all ethnic backgrounds, including Malays, can be found thriving in vernacular schools at present.
Though
Nik Nazmi admitted that multiple education streams posed challenges to
national unity, the "social contract" guaranteed the right to vernacular
education and this cannot be changed without the consent of all ethnic
groups concerned.He also called on detractors to stop barking up the wrong tree.
Instead of wasting time and needlessly increasing ethnic tensions by trying to abolish or handicap vernacular schools, Nik Nazmi said, efforts should be made to improve the conditions in national-type schools so that these schools become the first choice for all Malaysian parents.
"At the end of the day, education is a matter of parental choice."Parents will choose whichever stream will give their children the best education and an inclusive learning environment,” he added.
The Seri Setia assemblyperson also had some choice words for those harping on the vernacular schools issue.
"We should be working to push all our children upwards, rather than seeking to drag everyone down," he said.
'Cops talking nonsense'
Meanwhile, DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo rapped the police for classifying the case against Petaling Jaya Umno deputy division chief Mohamed Azli Mohamed Saad, who called for the abolition of vernacular schools, as a civil matter.
"With respect, this is absolute nonsense," Gobind said.
"How can this be? We have a case almost on point, in which charges were brought against a MP for uttering somewhat similar words in Parliament itself," he added in a statement.
The
Puchong MP cited the case of Public Prosecutor vs Mark Koding in 1978,
in which Mark, then a Sabah Umno MP, was charged with sedition for his
speech and was convicted.Mark's speech, delivered in Parliament, questioned the policy of the government in allowing Chinese and Tamil schools to continue in this country.
He advocated the closure of Chinese and Tamil schools and suggested that if such closure contravened Article 152 of the Federal Constitution, then the constitution should be amended in the interest of the people and the nation.
Based on the above case, Gobind called on Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to explain.
"Are there double standards here? If a MP could have been hauled up and charged for sedition for saying that, why not the Umno politician?
"This is a very serious matter. Is this not another classic example of the abuse of discretion when it comes to the use of the Sedition Act?
"Why is it used against some and not others in cases with similar facts? Are we not entitled, in the absence of any reasonable explanation to the contrary, to say this is evidence of selective prosecution?" he added.
'Distraction tactic'
Yesterday, Cheras Umno division chief Syed Ali Albahshee also suggested that the time has perhaps come to shut down vernacular schools in favour of a single-stream system.
Syed Ali said a single-stream system would foster racial unity, whereas vernacular schools sowed the seeds of racism.Sprinkling a dose of conspiracy on the issue, another DAP parliamentarian said the call from Umno to abolish vernacular schools is an act of distraction.
"The tactic is to distract the non-Malay community and make them lose focus on the presentation of the 2015 Budget on Friday," Lim Lip Eng said.
The Segambut MP said the tactic is also to shift attention away from the failures of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration that has plunged the nation into high national debt
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