Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister M Kayveas' suggestion to close Tamil schools was seditious and he should be charged for it, said a DAP leader today.

DAP Selangor chairperson M Manoharan called o­n Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to take action against the deputy minister, who is also the president of the People's Progressive Party (PPP).

"I believe the AG would act without fear or favour. Kayveas can be a deputy minister but he has acted seditiously," he said in a press statement.

"PPP members do not seem to understand Articles 8 (which relates to equal protection) and 12 (no discrimination, including o­n matters of education) of the Federal Constitution," Manoharan added.

Kayveas - who became the target of widespread criticism following his remark - later suggested that each Tamil newspaper reader contribute 10 sen per-day to pay for Tamil schools, which mostly lack adequate facilities.

This also irked Manoharan, who accused the deputy minister of "attacking" Tamil newspapers.

"Why should the poor Tamil newspaper readers pay for Tamil schools when it should be the duty of the government to provide for the basic fundamental education to its citizens.

"Providing primary basic education to the poor is the duty of the government," said the DAP leader.

'Destroy' Tamil

Manoharan also aired his concern that PPP would eventually "destroy Tamil" by calling for the closure of newspapers and Tamil Radio stations.

He said this in response to a protest staged by some 500 PPP Youth members outside Tamil daily Malaysian Nanban 's office in Kuala Lumpur o­n Sunday.

The protest was sparked off by an article in the daily which equated the call to close Tamil schools with the disbanding of PPP.

Manoharan who described the protest as a "cowardly act", claimed that PPP members were "out to destroy" the Tamil daily.

He also questioned why Kayveas was interfering with education matters since this was not within the scope of his portfolio.

"Why is the education minister silent o­n this issue. Is the BN government out to destroy Tamil schools in the country through Kayveas.

"DAP wants PPP to stop its attack o­n the Tamils in the country," he stressed.

Several police reports have also been lodged against the PPP president, who later clarified that what he meant was for concerned parties to make sure that Tamil was taught as a compulsory subject since Tamil schools were already dying a natural death.

'Wake-up call'

Commenting o­n Manoharan's statement, Kayveas said the DAP leader should understand the Sedition Act first before "shooting off his mouth."

"I am a leader of a multi-racial party and I have the right to speak o­n education matters," he stressed when contacted.

He said what he raised was the reality of the situation, adding that it was a "wake-up call for the community".

On the remark that education matters did not concern his portfolio, the deputy minister said if that was the case than the DAP leader should not be commenting o­n it either.

"He has no portfolio but gets involved in the fray for publicity," said the PPP president.

Kayveas explained that his remarks were not seditious but the actions by certain quarters who did not understand what he meant had contravened the act.

He was referring to a recent protest at the Hindu shrine Batu Caves where an effigy of the deputy minister was torched. Manoharan was among those present.

"He (Manoharan) should surrender to the AG first for burning an effigy in a holy place," he added.

Kayveas also noted that nobody has answered his concern regarding the future of the Tamil language when Tamil schools cease to exist.

"DAP has done nothing and can do nothing. At least, I have the guts to speak about the issue," stressed the PPP president.