I’m writing this to defy Perkasa’s secretary general Syed Ali’s statement that all former vernacular school students should not ask for PSD scholarship as they do not have faith in national school system. In his statement, he also suggested non-Malays to ask Indian and Chinese based NGOs or corporate bodies for scholarship. Isn’t it what we were doing all this while, since the PSD closed its door for our brilliant students? His statement had just cleared our doubts whether scholarship denial is just a coincidence or a planned accident. Now we can see logic for PSD’s move.
His call to tighten condition for students from vernacular schools to obtain scholarship seems funny though I should get angry. Many of our brilliant kids are denied scholarships even without stringent conditions. If the PSD were to act according to his call, then I think we should even forget about applying for it. What has been bothering him so much about vernacular schools for him to say this? Is this because vernacular schools create more brilliant students despite having less fully aided schools, less allocation, less funds, less facilities and less freedom? I believe his insecurity stem from the success of vernacular schools in producing more brilliant students compared to national schools.
I feel sorry for this sieved idiot for not having a fundamental knowledge on vernacular schools. Besides failing to understand the reason for its existence, he is indirectly calling for a closure of vernacular schools. This is not just unacceptable as it can threaten national unity. So, I’m strongly conveying my dissatisfaction and warning to them.
Let me clear the doubt he has in his mind. Are Chinese and Indians sending their kids to vernacular schools because they have lost faith in national school system? We have lost faith in education system but we strongly believe national school education does not provide what we want. So, we decided not to knock at a wall which has no door to enter, we choose our way to advance. I’m not sure what made him conclude that we have lost faith in the system. If someone doesn’t sell what we want, how are we suppose to buy things from him? Does that mean we have lost faith in his products? I’m laughing at you Perkasa!
Let me give you brief explanation on why we send our kids to vernacular schools. What does a vernacular system that we can’t find in the national school system? National schools are mainly geared to academic achievements. There is very little on cultural and spiritual values. The vernacular schools in addition to providing academic skills, give emphasis to cultural and spiritual values. Vernacular education system becomes an institution which provides for us our mother tongue, our religion and our culture. It gives us an identity, besides ensuring that our children acquire academic skills and proficiency in both Bahasa Malaysia and English.
A complete vernacular education system can provide the best of all worlds:
1 Our Identity
2 Integration with the rest of the nation through Bahasa Malaysia
3 Integration with the rest of the world through English
4 Quality Academic and social skills for social mobility
5 The opportunity to imbibe cultural, spiritual, religious and ethical values
What better system we can ask for? Can anyone prove that all these can be obtained in national schools? Vernacular education system has the potential for a unique and fulfilling educational programme for our children. Why would we want turn to a system which does not suit our aspiration? We do not want our children to be de-culturalised at the expense of materialism.
There have been numerous claims regarding the priorities and benefits of ‘Sekolah Kebangsaan’ amongst our multi-racial and democratic nation, most of which may have been undeniable. Yet, a flawless stand is a never existing reality. As most of our younger generations have been attending national schools, they are guarded against many of the brutal realities present outside the walls of the government shielded preaching.
It is true that our future leaders grow up without noticing the difference of colour and race amongst their fellow classmates while studying in national schools but along with it, they also do not notice the many barriers that are put before them in terms of culture and traditions.
Every Malay-Muslim tradition is followed well and is never missed in national schools and it is celebrated along with the other races. But is it the same with the other occasions which are supposed to be honoured by the other races? It’s comprehensible if there may not be a public holiday for occasions like Ponggal, Thaipusam, Wesak Day and Good Friday, but not even a mention is very unfair, as, if it was Aidil Adha, every student celebrates it in school, unaccounted of their race.
It is sad to admit that many of national school students have even forgotten the significance of those occasions. We don’t want our kids to grow without knowing their culture. We want our language and culture preserved as the others in this nation. Though others can put an argument that we can still do it at temples, my question is why there’s no equal treatment in schools in the first place?
In comparison, in every vernacular school, the culture and tradition is well maintained and followed and I think it is as important as the unity claimed to be present in national schools for it is this numerous variety of cultures and traditions which makes Malaysia a unique country with a beauty of its own. But national school’s proclaimed unity seems to be only in wanting the multi-race students to follow one specific tradition by breaking and destroying the uniqueness of our nation.
Bahasa Malaysia, may it be ‘Bahasa Kebangsaan’, the fact still remains that it is the mother-tongue of Malays. As our government has said that national schools provide quality education, brings unity, etc., is it not the task of our government as well to make sure and enable every student of every race to have the right to pursue their share of knowledge of their mother-tongue? Since national schools failed to practice what they preach, we decide to preserve our language and culture in our own way.
The government’s recent policies and birth of racist group such as Perkasa gives us more worries and trigger doubt whether Tamil and Chinese vernacular schools, vernacular languages, our culture, and also our religion will survive in this nation. We have not lost faith, but we have yet to trust the government on the vernacular school and language issues. Let the government assure us that we can practice our language, culture and our religion in national schools without any prejudice. Then we will talk about uniting Malaysians under One National Educational System.
We believe if Perkasa continues to exist, it will ruin national unity, and will destroy the PM’s aspiration of creating One Malaysia. We urge no one to politicise and trigger anger among non-Malays on the scholarship issue. We are just requesting what we are entitled to and are not questioning anybody’s rights or privileges.
If government fails to tame Perkasa now, then fellow Malaysians soon will arise to tame them. I could foresee many unwanted incidents as Perkasa has yet to stop its extremism and its racist propaganda. We want the Malaysian government to intervene now before it’s too late. Damages have already been done. Stop Perkasa now for a better Malaysia!
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