The MIC and MCA are against the idea of having a single-stream education system, saying that the presence of vernacular schools will not hamper national unity.

MIC president S Samy Vellu said today that if the idea was to foster racial unity, there were other ways to do it and not through a single-stream education system.

NONE "As far as Tamil schools are concerned, the (Indian) pupils will be able to mix with children of other races when they go to secondary schools,” he told reporters before handing over cheques for RM1 million to more than 50 Hindu temples here.

Samy Vellu was commenting on the issue which was raised by academician and historian Prof Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Kim recently.

Several government and opposition members of parliament spoke in support of a single-stream system in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also education minister, said yesterday that he wanted all parties to pursue discussions on the idea so that all views on the matter could be explored.

‘Don’t disturb the hornet’s nest’

Saying that the present system had worked well, Samy Vellu said that it was unwise to "disturb the hornet’s nest" when it was agreed during Abdul Razak Hussein’s premiership that the vernacular schools would be protected and allowed to exist.

NONE Meanwhile, MCA Youth head Dr Wee Ka Siong said the multi-stream education system should continue because it would not affect unity in the multiracial society in the country.

"It is not an obstacle to national unity but instead will help imbue the spirit of unity in the multiracial society," he told reporters.

Wee, who is deputy education minister, said although the medium of instruction in multi-stream schools was not the national language, it would not undermine the students appreciation of the 1Malaysia concept.

- Bernama