Dear Tan Sr Muhyiddin Yassin,

I refer to your recent statement that Education Ministry will make a final decision on the issue of PPSMI (teaching of science and maths in English) next month. Firstly, being a doctor, I am trained to analyse facts. The fact that is in front of me tells me that MoE will most likely reverse their decision revert to the two subjects being taught in Bahsa Malaysia.

Your decision would likely be based on political pressure from various groups which includes the nationalists, the educationists, the ultra-Malays and Chinese lobby groups. What is even worse is that the MoE is being controlled by two biased deputy minister who have openly expressed their opposition to PPSMI.

For the proponents of PPSMI, it is a battle that cannot be won especially now when Pakatan Rakyat has also openly expressed that they, too, wants PPSMI to be abolished. In a nutshell, it is a lopsided battle for what is important for our children and the future of this nation.

It may be presumptive to you but, I would like to say that MoE has not done a proper need analysis from the parents’ and children’s perspectives. It has only done a technical analysis based on student performance in the respective subjects which is inadequate.

It has not gone outside the dome of education to show the impact of the reversal of the decision. No scientific study has been done to seek the views of the people in the job market. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has been advocating the concept of ‘People First, Performance Now’. I want to see that the PM does not make merely a popular political statements

It must be translated into action to show that the government is really serious about finding what is exactly important for the people. In a country like ours which has grown along on racial lines and ethnic disunity, everybody wants to do things their way. The group with strong political support will have an advantage.

Unfortunately, the weak will never get what it wants. Wee Ka Siong, Fuad Zarkashi and Samy Vellu all want to abolish PPSMI because of political reasons. In reality, the politicians’ view are biased as they are adulterated with political interest.

Currently, those who want to retain PPSMI are the weakest group. It has no political support. Their requests are not being seriously considered. Of late, what is being done is to find the necessary justification to reverse the PPSMI. The real official experts in the arena of education have very little to say as they are subservient to the politicians.

In the current environment where everyone wants to do their things their own way, the only way out is to get an official feedback from the ground. This feedback must come from parents and children alike as they represent the voice of the people on the ground.

After all, the issues are affecting us, the parents directly. Via all the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) , an EGM must be called and parents must decide whether they want to retain the PPSMI or otherwise.

PTAs that want to retain PPSMI must be allowed to do so. Those who want to switch, just let them switch. My gut feeling tells me many would want to PPSMI to be retained. At the same time I ask you to ignore the views of organisations like the PIBG-N which has no legal locus standi to represent us, the parents.

PPSMI has shown that the ability to speak, read and write BM has not diluted among the children and they have instead gained strength in comprehending maths and science in English. I urge you, please give people the choice to choose.

We live in the 21st century. The challenges of the 21st century are different from the 70s and the 80s. Not all parents are rich enough to send their children to private school to strengthen their ability to learn maths and science in English.

If BN finds it fit to accommodate the educationists in maintaining their respective mother tongues despite the fact that this has divided people of this country, what further harm can it do if it allows some schools to run PPSM

If we are really sincere and seriously fighting for ‘Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa’ to take Malaysians to the level of ‘1Malaysia’ then take the challenge and close all the Chinese and Tamil schools and run only a one- type school for the nation ie, ‘sekolah kebangsaan’.

Only then it would be fair for you to bury PPSMI. As long as the SJKC and SJKT exist, then the PPSMI schools have the right to co-exist.

Lastly, I appeal to you, please give me and the other parents and our children the right to chose what we feel is best for us at the school and community level. This would be the best way out and being fair to everyone.