UNITING SCHOOL CHILDREN

Uniting School Children

It is the Government's intention to strengthen the sekolah kebangsaan (national school) to be the school of choice, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

He said the national school should become the choice of the rakyat, irrespective of race and religion. Abdullah. however, reiterated the right of non-Malays to study in their own mother tongue as guaranteed under the Education Act.

“We hope that at a certain point after studying at sekolah rendah jenis kebangsaan Cina or sekolah rendah jenis kebangsaan Tamil, the children can continue their education at sekolah kebangsaan where we have a standard curriculum and students of all races and religions can learn and play together,” he told reporters at his office yesterday.

He said this when asked to comment on a memorandum to be presented by the MCA to the Government appealing for more Chinese schools in densely-populated areas and resolving issues affecting such schools.

“Whatever we do in tackling issues involving Chinese national-type schools, and allowing more such schools to be built, we cannot allow a situation to develop where there will exist a dual system in our education system.

“We cannot have a system that will provide an absolute alternative to a certain group of people,” he said, adding that such a system would result in the people moving along in a parallel line, and they would never meet. Education, he said, played a very big role in enhancing unity and integration among people of different races and religions. Thus the best option was a single system where the schoolchildren could interact freely, he said.

AUTHOR'S COMMENT:

It is great comfort that the beloved Prime Minister is re-assuring the other races of the commitment by the government to adhere to the rights to study in their mother tongue as guaranteed in the Education Act.

Unfortunately, many at times, such kind of issues are unnecessary and unworthy of discussions as it creates division and disunity amongst the races and makes the races paranoid.

I had never wish to write articles on this blog, which treaded on political science, religious indifferences or those relating to racial divide. Most of my articles (I believe) is on PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, SYSTEM MANAGEMENT (particularly of the civil service and the executives), COMMERCE, SOCIAL SCIENCE, AND EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS. But this one, I hope will not incite destructive narcissism.

As a Chinese, I will sent my children to schools that will benefit them and which will prepare my children for their future undertaking. It does not matter that it is Chinese school, Tamil school or Sekolah Kebangsaan. All my three children are educated in Sekolah Kebangsaan and they are doing well and two of them are in Universities. I am proud of their educational achievements and I believe they will be ready to face the employment world on graduation.

If other parents thinks that they want to sent their children to Chinese-type school or Tamil school, I don't think they can be faulted or blamed for creating disunity or racial segregation. It may be that they find it comforting to do so, due to the schools' quality education and the disciplines. I do not think, for most of those I know that came from Chinese-type school, that they are concerned about their mother-tongue. It is just political protectionist policies for some institutions to further some kind of interest best known to themselves.

My mother tongue is Hokkien and I married a Hakka. My children only speak Cantonese dialect. My mother and all my family members and in-laws are not too concerned about their inability to speak Hokkien or Hakka, neither do I or my wife. So, what's the issue of mother-tongue? Mandarin actually are not the mother-tongue of many chinese. This, the Chinese associations such as Tong Ziao Zong or MCA may not agree with me. But I am totally against the politicising of the Chinese schools. Whether there should be more of them should be left to the market forces to dictate and infact, National-type school should be encouraged to bring about social integration of the various races, in the interest of the nation as a whole, and the betterment of the society. It does not make me less Chinese because I did not get educated in Chinese School, neither would those who are educated in Chinese Schools be less Malaysian.

So, what's the problem? Is it necessary that it should be constantly reminded that the Chinese are Chinese and Indians are Tamils, and Malays are Malays? Aren't we all Malaysians?

Khairi, the UMNO Deputy Youth Leader should refrain from adding oil to fire; similarly, other politicians in MCA should also be less contageous. Politicians should be wisemen and wisewomen and stop treading in hot water and create Tsunamis for the rakyat.

I had admired Khairi for a long time but since he became the youth leader, his public statements and political directions are beginning to show biases. I hope and believe he will be a better person and a great leader if he shows he sincerely cares for the nation and will serve ALL the rakyat in Malaysia. GOD bless Khairi and make him a better leader.