KUALA LUMPUR – The Gabungan Seni Khat Action Team (Sekat) has called on MPs to disclose their stand regarding the issue of vernacular schools.
Sekat secretary Arun Dorasamy said 32 MPs have yet to reply after it had sent out survey forms on the matter to every one of them on September 30.
“It looks like our MPs do not have enough time (to respond), so we are extending the deadline to November 15,” he said
Sekat plans to tabulate and publish the findings of the survey as soon as all responses have been recorded.
“Whether you are in support of the matter or not, it is your decision, but the people have a right to know the stand of their elected MP.
“The least you can do is reply to us,” he said at a press conference on validation of support for vernacular schooling systems at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall here today.
Also present were Malaysian Chinese Language Council president Datuk Eddie Heng Hong Chai and Global Human Rights Federation president S. Shashi Kumar.
Shashi questioned the rhetoric purportedly by those against vernacular schools and dismissed claims of vernacular schools not instilling its students with a sense of nationalism.
“What do they mean by no nationalism?” he questioned while showing the audience pictures of the national principles written in Bahasa Melayu at a Chinese national-type school.
“Stop using vernacular schools as political scapegoats,” he added.
Besides mailing out survey forms in written letters, Sekat in collaboration with 463 other non-governmental organisations nationwide has also sent out emails on October 7 in a continued effort to reach out to MPs.
“Members of Sekat also called the service centres of every MP,” said Arun.
“We wanted to make sure that they had received our survey, and we repeatedly told them that we are waiting for their reply.”.
He said that to date, only one MP, Subang MP Wong Chen, has submitted a declaration of non-support for vernacular schools.
“We called and checked with him three times before confirming his submission. We are glad to have his answer. Now voters will know,” Arun said.
Eddie emphasised the importance of MPs making their stand known, saying: “By remaining silent, MPs are sending a message of endorsement instead of condemnation.
“Silence means consent,” he said, noting that Sekat’s efforts should be commended as MPs will be forced to acknowledge their duty as the elected voices of the people.
In December 2019, a suit was initiated by the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students and Islamic Education Development Council challenging the legality of vernacular schools over their use of non-national mediums of instruction.
They are seeking a court declaration that the existence of vernacular schools go against the provisions in the federal constitution as Article 152(1) defines Malay as the national language.
On October 22, the high court ruled for a hearing to be held on November 23. – The Vibes, November 1, 2021
