MCA yesterday criticised Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim's statement

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA yesterday criticised one of the Chinese community's leading academicians for suggesting that non-Malays needed to compromise and give up Chinese or Tamil education in favour of a single school education system.

MCA information chief Lee Wei Kiat said, in a statement, the party was offended by Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim's statement in China Press on Tuesday.

"It is with much regret that there are still many narrow-minded politicians, playing up racial rhetoric, who still advocate the assimilation concept, such as Umno Youth vice-chairman Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir who support a single school education system, despite (the fact that) many developed countries are now advocating the inclusion of a multicultural concept.

"We are even more saddened when scholars also come out to support such politicians in issuing statements."

Lee said Khoo's stand revealed his gross misconception of the history and foundation of vernacular schools in the country.

Khoo said the current education system which had many types of schools had created a bunch of people who did not understand Bahasa Malaysia and English and were unable to communicate with other races or compete with the outside world.

He said the United States adopted the single school system out of which was born the first black president, Barack Obama, whereas Malaysians were still arguing over race issues 50 years after independence.

"As minority races, we have to give and take and compromise."

While making Chinese and Tamil second languages in primary and secondary schools, Khoo said, the government should continue with the current policy of teaching Science and Mathematics in English.

Lee said: "We are very disappointed that Prof Khoo even suggested that non-Malays should sacrifice their right to vernacular education as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. This is simply unacceptable!"

He said Chinese education had groomed many professionals and talented individuals and contributed vastly to the country's political, economic, social and cultural development.

Khoo's remarks also drew a sharp response from both Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association) and Jiao Zong (United Chinese School Teachers Association), the country's guard-ians of Chinese education.

Dong Zong president Dr Yap Sin Tian said Khoo's statement that Chinese schools produced students who lacked knowledge of Bahasa Malaysia and English did not hold water as both languages were compulsory subjects.

Jiao Zong president Ong Chiaw Chuan disagreed with Khoo's contention that parents could imbue Chinese cultural values and thinking at home.

Giving an example, Ong said third generation American Chinese no longer possessed Chinese moral values and virtues.

"This shows the importance of Chinese education."

New Straits Times
14/12/08

No comments: