Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has warned Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputies that he will push for a RM10-salary cut motion if they do not reverse the decision to not build anymore vernacular primary schools under the Ninth Malaysian Plan (9MP).

He gave Hishammuddin and his two deputies Hon Choon Kim and Noh Omar notice to do so before Parliament reconvenes in November for committee-stage passage of 2007 Budget.

The salary cut motion is a parliamentary device to censure a minister for failure, incompetence or negligence in executing duties and even if it is not passed, it stands as a black mark in the minister's record.

Noh Omar had revealed the ministry's decision that no new Chinese or Tamil schools would be built in the next five years under the 9MP in his reply to M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) during the Budget 2007 policy wind up in Parliament.

'Blatant injustice'

"This is a blatant and flagrant injustice to the increasing number of parents who want to send their children to Chinese and Tamil primary schools but face the problem of not enough school places and schools in their respective areas," Lim said in a statement today.

He pointed out that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had specifically made two promises with regards to Chinese and Tamil primary schools during the winding-up of the 9MP when queried by Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam).

"(He said) firstly, that new schools would be built according to need and secondly, that the government would act in accordance with the concept of justice.

"Both these assurances by the prime minister have been violated when Noh Omar revealed on Wednesday that there would be no new vernacular primary schools under the 9MP," he said.

DAP is not the only party angered with the Education Ministry as Chinese education movement Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ) had also expressed disappointment over this matter.

It too asserted that Abdullah had promised to build more vernacular schools under and accused the government of breaking its promise.

DJZ now urges Barisan Nasional's Chinese-based parties such as MCA, Gerakan and Sarawak's Supp and Sabah's LDP to clear the air on this issue.