There is a burning issue that the BN and Pakatan Rakyat must dwell on as it is gathering momentum in Penang, with the potential to tilt votes in the coming 13th general election.

As the election could even be called as early as next month or in the beginning of next year, a lobby group appealing for the option to teach and learn Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) has stepped up its campaign to garner support for the cause.

The lobbyists, Parents Action Group for Education ( PAGE ), have ppsmi online petition 181011 initiated a Facebook page - 1M Malaysians Say YES to PPSMI as an OPTION - on the night of Oct 9, which 24,316 people have so far signed up.

"These are concerned Malaysians from all walks of life. The number is growing everyday," said Penang PAGE coordinator Rowena Yam.

Group sets one million target

The group is targeting one million Malaysians to support their view so that they have the numbers to appeal to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

On Sunday, PAGE supporters will gather at the Speaker's Square at Esplanade in a show of support and solidarity for the PPSMI struggle.

Yam said the group's objective is to appeal to the Education Ministry to allow Maths and Science to continue to be taught in English in schools.

"We believe these two subjects are important for our future generations and the country as a whole," said Yam, who is Penang Gerakan political training bureau chief.

"Why? Because these two subjects will form the foundation of our children's knowledge in this ICT-driven age of globalisation," she added at a press conference yesterday.

Others PAGE members present were chairpersons of parent-teacher associations (PIBG) Adrian Lee (St Xavier Institution) and Paul Seah (SRK Convent Pulau Tikus).

Downplaying study on parents' preference

Parents were riled up when in 2009, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the abolishment of the PPSMI.

Effective next year, Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools can use their respective mother tongues for teaching the two subjects.

Muhyiddin also introduced a scheme called MBMMBI (Upholding the Malay Language, Strengthening the English Language) for students to master both languages, so that neither would be compromised.

Deputy Education Minister Mohd Puad Zarkashi has also played down a study by Jaringan Melayu Malaysia, a Malay NGO, which indicated that 50 percent of parents prefer PPSMI, as "inaccurate as it was not comprehensive".

Yam, who is state Gerakan Pulau Tikus coordinator, said science and technology knowledge and information was widely available in English over the Internet, textbooks and other documents.

She added that children would be able to grasp terminologies easily when they pursue higher education.

The group urged Malaysians to rally behind PAGE so that there would be the strength in numbers for a concerted appeal to Najib and his cabinet to grant the appeal.

"We will be having a petition drive on that day and request everyone in support of PPSMI to gather in a show of solidarity and support," she added.