DAP said today that the party is prepared to work with the Chinese-based MCA on the issue of Chinese-type national schools (SJKC) but will not wait for it to extend its cooperation.

Selangor DAP chairperson Ong Chee Keng ( photo:left ) said the party would initiate its own efforts, such as conducting a survey among the population to determine whether more SJKCs are needed under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"We are willing to work with anybody on the issue, whether it's the MCA or Umno, on issues of public interest such as education," he declared.

Ong said that the state DAP would also conduct an 'internal survey' in certain areas to determine the need, not just for more SJKCs, but other schools as well."

"If the people are not in need of such schools, there is no point pushing for it," he said when contacted after submitting a memorandum to the office of the prime minister in Putrajaya this morning.

Several Umno leaders had expressed concerns against the MCA proposal to increase the number of Chinese schools under the Ninth Malaysian Plan.

Last Friday, the MCA stated that it would present a memorandum to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which contained, among other proposals, the increase of Chinese schools and the resolution of problems affecting these schools.

60,000 Malay students

Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya, Ong dismissed fears that education in the respective mother-tongues would hamper efforts to foster national integration.

"On the contrary, national-type schools have contributed towards national integration. The prime minister should not forget that there are currently 60,000 Malay students studying in national-type schools.

"This proves that national-type schools are not exclusive schools for certain ethnic groups only, but serve as a good platform to strengthen the national integration process," he said.

"Even the deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, M Kayveas, has a child studying in a SJKC," Ong added.

Apart from fostering integration, education in the respective mother tongues was a right enshrined both in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the Federal Constitution, he asserted.

"Furthermore, Malaysians proficient in the Chinese language would place them at a competitive advantage relative to citizens of 'uni-lingual' or 'bi-lingual' countries, especially in light of the rise of China as a global trading power".

Ong called for the open discussion of the issue in a rational and civilised manner, one in which personal statements were prevented from adversely affecting national integration.

Common content syllabus

His views were echoed by Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang who called for "rational and responsible" public debate and discussion on the building of new Chinese and Tamil primary schools.

"To openly reject a proposal and to stop further public discussion by declaring that the matter will be dealt with behind closed-doors by the Barisan Nasional component parties is neither consultative nor democratic," he said in a statement today.

Lim also responded to the prime minister's statement, in which he was reported to have expressed concerns that increasing Chinese national-type schools would lead to "a situation to develop where there will exist a dual system in our education system."

Citing the Razak Education Report of 1956, Lim said as long as all schools are working to a common content syllabus irrespective of the language medium of instruction, such a national system of education "will satisfy the needs of the people and promote their cultural, social, economic and political development as a nation."

The veteran DAP leader also dismissed fears that Chinese-type national schools were breeding grounds of Chinese chauvinism, noting that there were several senior MCA cabinet ministers who are products of the Chinese schools.

"The two most senior MCA cabinet ministers, Ong Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy, are both products of national-type Chinese primary schools," said Lim.

"Are they anti-national and unpatriotic Malaysians?", he asked.