Reports in the Chinese-language newspapers last Friday quoted Political Secretary to the Prime Minister (Chinese Affairs) Dr Vincent Lim as suggesting that his boss did not make any utterance to the effect that 'building more Chinese primary schools would not be beneficial to national unity' as reported by the media earlier.

Also according to last Friday's reports in the Chinese media, Lim only conveyed this 'clarification' to the Chinese-language newspapers.

I am disappointed that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has resorted to this kind of trite and moribund divide-and-talk tactic. If Abdullah is sincere and honest as his public image (genuine or contrived), he should have personally called a press conference for media of all languages to make the clarification himself.

Assigning only Chinese secretaries to deal with only Chinese-language newspapers is reminiscent of the colonial practice of divide-and-rule.

It also shows utter contempt for the integrity of the Chinese-language editors and journalists by insinuating that only they are wrong on the issue while the English and Malay newspapers - which essentially reported the same thing - were blameless.

If we go a bit deeper, a vital question arises in our minds - how could have all the three major Chinese-language newspapers - namely Nanyang Siang Pau, Sin Chew Daily and China Press - misquote Abdullah on their frontpages on March 14?

We must remember that the MCA-owned Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press and the MCA-friendly Sin Chew Daily are usually deferential to the powers-that-be, especially the office of the prime minister.

In any event, if Abdullah really did not say 'building more Chinese primary schools would not be beneficial to national unity', then Malaysian taxpayers, especially the Chinese community, have the right to know how many new Chinese primary schools are going to be built by the government under the 9th Malaysia Plan.

I hope Abdullah would make the number or figure clear in black and white so that no clarification will be needed again.