Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has announced his support for a national education commission to be set up to put a stop to education policy flip-flops whenever a new education minister is appointed.

“I will support it if a national education commission is set up so that all policy can be decided by this commission.

“Education policies or policies related to education in the country…they should not change when the minister changes.

“Do not send our students into the makmal ujian (laboratory), they are not things to be experimented with.

“They are national assets,” he said at the launch of Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS)’s 63rd annual general meeting at Kompleks Tabung Haji in Kelana Jaya today.

In 2009, former Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (photo) announced his decision to revert the teaching of Science and Mathematics to Malay, a reversal of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad's 2003 policy to teach them in English.

Zahid said that when the commission is set up, both education and higher education ministers would have to follow all decisions and directives made by it.

He also explained that his decision was not a swipe at existing or former ministers, but driven by his desire to see improvement in the standard of education in the country.

“I applaud the achievements of the present Education Minister (Mahdzir Khalid) and Higher Education Minister (Idris Jusoh). I say congratulations (to them).

“But (education) will be improved when this commission exists,” said Zahid.

The suggestion for a national education commission was earlier put forth by GPMS president Zambri Mohd Isa in his opening speech.

Today’s launch saw 414 GPMS members in attendance along with former members who now act as advisors to the organisation.

RM1m donation to GPMS

In his speech, Zahid also announced an RM1 million donation to GPMS, eliciting claps and cheers from the audience. He did not state if it was a personal donation or one from the government.

“(The donation) comes with the condition that while we have one eye on the past, we must also look ahead and far into the future.

“If that is not understood, I will withdraw my contribution,” he added, offering no further explanation.

He proceeded to shower praise upon Zambri (photo) for his leadership of GPMS and forecasted a bright future for him, possibly in politics.

“I have paid close attention to the good words brother Zambri has uttered, and I feel he has a bright future ahead of him.

“Let us find a suitable kawasan (area) for him as long as it is not a kawasan kemalangan (accident-prone area),” he said to chuckles from the audience.

GPMS brands DAP ‘extremist’

Aside from mooting the commission, Zambri had in his opening speech urged the government against accepting the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for entry into public universities and launched attacks at DAP.

“Recently there has been a group of DAP leaders who have acted kurang ajar (disrespectful), using uncouth words and denigrating the Malay race.

“GMPS and the Malay people feel really terhina (denigrated) by these provocations against Malays in this country.

“DAP is synonymous with extreme, provocative acts that fan racial flames and they are the ones who sparked the May 13, 1969 riots that left a black mark in our nation’s history.

“We hope Datuk Seri (Zahid) as the Home Minister will take stern action against these racial extremists,” he said.

It is unclear who in DAP Zambri was referring to.

However, this comes almost a week after Perak BN accused state DAP chief Nga Kor Ming (photo) of allegedly uttering derogatory remarks against Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir in a video.

Nga has claimed the video of him is fake and has lodged a police report on the allegation. He has also threatened to sue his accusers.

Established in 1948, GPMS works to empower Malay students and champion the Malay cause as well as the language. It is made up of current and former Malay university students under the age of 40. Former members include Zahid, former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and former Deputy Prime Minister Musa Hitam.