Four of the five Chinese-based parties which attended yesterday's Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting wanted Chinese primary schools to be exempted from the language switch, said MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik.

Speaking to reporters at his office in Putrajaya this afternoon, he said the parties shared the common view that these schools should continue teaching Science and Mathematics in their mother tongue.

However, he added that the non-Chinese parties in the ruling coalition fully supported the government's proposal that the two subjects be taught in English for Year One, Form One and Lower Six in all schools beginning next year.

"There was a suggestion (from the Chinese parties) whether or not we can have classes in English outside the normal timetable," he said.

The four Chinese-based parties are MCA, Gerakan, Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP). The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supported the move.