An ad-hoc Indian NGOs group wants the federal government to announce its decision within the next three days on whether it would scrap the controversial 10-subject cap for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination.

The Indian NGOs for SPM 12-subject coalition chairperson A Thiruvenggadam said it was imperative for the cabinet to make a swift decision to ease public concerns over the contentious issue .

He said since the 2010 schooling calendar would start in a week’s time, many Indian parents were in a dilemma on whether to allow their children to take Tamil language and literature subjects for SPM.

‘The 10-subject cap had badly affected students bound for Fourth Form and those taking Tamil language and literature subjects for PMR examinations next year,” he said.

Indian NGOs for SPM 12-subject coalition

He said his assertion was based on public feedback received during the ongoing SPM 12-subject awareness campaign organised by the coalition.

He said Indians were firm in their stand demanding the government revise its current 10-cap policy and expand it to a minimum 12 SPM merited subject cap.

However, Thiruvenggadam claimed the parents were upset over the federal government delaying a decision despite a nationwide protest against the 10-subject cap.

“The cabinet has a responsibility to revise its 10-subject cap and replace it with a minimum 12-subject cap. It must announce its decision before the New Year,” Thiruvenggadam told Malaysiakini.

Half-hearted backtracking

Early this month, the Putrajaya administration revised its earlier policy of 10 SPM subject cap starting from 2011 by allowing students to take up two more additional subjects.

The revised policy was supposedly to enable the Indian and Chinese students to sit for Tamil and Mandarin language and literature subjects.

However, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the additional subjects to the six core and four relevant subjects would not be given official recognition.

This means vernacular language subjects will not be given merit points and due recognition for scholarships.

Indian NGOs and politicians have been up in arms over the policy.

The 10 SPM merited subject cap has been roundly criticised as a racist policy designed to banish vernacular languages from the country.

Thiruvenggadam said the government’s 10+2 SPM formula was in violation of Article 152 of the federal constitution, which guarantees the existence and usage of vernacular languages in the country.

He added that the constitution even guarantees government funds for the development and growth of vernacular languages in Malaysia.

The Thiruvenggadam-led coalition has started a nationwide signature campaign and forged close working ties with Chinese educationist groups to compel the government to revise its alleged unconstitutional SPM policy.

Signature campaign launched

Another Indian-based group has also started a nationwide signature campaign to garner public support to exert pressure on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s government.

Northern Tamil Action Team (NTAT), a Penang-based grouping of Indian NGOs, organised a day of prayer at the Waterfall hilltop Hindu temple on Dec 20 over the issue.

Its chairperson S David said NTAT had started a nationwide campaign to collect at least 20,000 signatures, especially in the northern states of Penang, Kedah, Perlis and Perak, in support of a minimum 12-subjects for SPM campaign.

“We have received overwhelming support from the Indian community on the issue,” he said.

David told Malaysiakini that the NTAT will submit the signatures along with a memorandum demanding a minimum 12 SPM merited subject cap to the education minister in a month.