A Barisan Nasional component party has come out in support of the two educationist movement Dong Jiao Zong despite warning by the government that preventive laws will be used against those opposing the move to teach Science and Mathematics in English.

Gerakan today appealed to the government to be "a bit more patient" with the local Chinese movement, saying they have to be encouraged to enter into more dialogue and frank discussion on the matter, with the aid of relevant political parties.

Gerakan vice president Dr S Vijayaratnam said the Education Ministry should be "more sensitive" to some of the apprehensions of these groups.

"The talking about using the Internal Security Act and Sedition Act is not going to help," he said in a press statement today..

"Dong Jiao Zong itself is requested to consult, rather than confront. There has to be compromise, as it has always been the Malaysian way," he added.

Bulldozed through

Gerakan's response came in the wake of Umno Youth education bureau chief Dr Adham Baba's recent controversial statement published in the wing's official website under the heading "Chinese education chauvinists' extreme prejudice, government urged to close Chinese schools".

The alleged seditious statement prompted DAP Socialist Youth acting national secretary Loke Siew Fook to lodge a police report in Petaling Jaya, saying that Adham should not question the right of Malaysians to vernacular education which is stipulated in the Federal Constitution.

Citing a court case in 1971 when Malay daily Utusan Melayu was found guilty of sedition for carrying a report headlined "Abolish Chinese and Tamil schools in the country", Loke said Adham's statement had also violated the Sedition Act.

The two movements, United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) and the United Chinese School Teachers' Association of Malaysia (Jiao Zong) or collectively known as Dong Jiao Zong, were labelled "extremists" recently by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for their vocal stand on the issue.

Other ministers like de facto law minister Dr Rais Yatim and Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung have also suggested that those who went overboard in opposing the controversial move be dealt with by using the two preventive laws.

The strong criticism against DJZ has prompted the Opposition to unite against Umno Youth's 'seditious' call to close all Chinese schools.

Like gangsters

PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali said the Umno Youth wing's tactics are very much akin to what "gangsters and terrorists do".

Syed Husin said the prime minister, BN and finally the government are determined to push the issue down the throats of the people despite the strong opposition not only from the Chinese community but Malays and Indians as well.

"Some media, especially those in Malay language controlled by the government, have blatantly and dishonestly given a racial twist to their opposition. They present it in an inciting manner as Chinese opposition to a policy, which is purported to aim at advancing the Malays.

"Lest it is forgotten, not only PAS, Keadilan and PRM question the wisdom of and reject the BN government plan, but several respectable Malay linguistic, literary and cultural organistions have also done so," he added.

A joint statement by Keadilan secretary general Sahri Bahri and PRM secretary general Sanusi Osman said that the vernacular schools desire to protect their mother-tongue language must be respected.

"Threatening people with repressive laws will only show the true colours of the government that it is desperate, restrictive of the freedom of speech and does not respect the views of the people," they said.

Bulldozed through

The yet-to-be-registered Parti Socialist Malaysia refuted the government's claim that the language switch has the majority support of the people, saying it was bulldozed through without proper consultation.

Its pro tem secretary general S Arutchelvam questioned why there was so much hassle and the need to use the ISA and Sedition Act to "manufacture" consent if the move was so popular.

Arutchelvam said there seems to be a calculated move to attack DJZ when there are also opposition from other parties and groups from different ethnic groups.

"Is this move an attempt to stir racial tension among the races which has been the ingredient in our political system?" he queried.

Arutchelvam called for its implementation to be postponed until proper research, dialogue and consultation have been completed.