Umno Kemayan assemblyperson Mohd Fadil Osman's claim that vernacular schools destroy unity in Malaysia is the very thing damaging the country's harmony and not the schools.

This is what Gerakan president Dominic Lau said about Mohd Fadil's remark which was made during the question-and-answer session at the Pahang state legislative assembly sitting yesterday.

"The remarks made by Mohd Fadil obviously show that he doesn't have common sense. 

"His remark will only destroy the relationship between the ethnic groups and will not bring any benefit to Malaysia.

"He should remember that the new generation of Malaysians no longer accepts leaders who are narrow-minded and racist," said Lau in a statement today.

Mohd Fadil had also claimed that students from Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools were like "foreigners" who could not speak Malay.

Lau questioned whether Mohd Fadil had any proof for this claim, adding that vernacular schools have cultivated many talents who have contributed greatly to the country over the years.

"If Mohd Fadil requests, we can arrange for proof to show that Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools students speak Malay fluently and can even debate with him in Malay," he said, adding that there were now also many Malay students studying in Chinese vernacular schools.

Extreme and racial statements such as Fadil's was one the reasons BN was defeated in the last general election, said Lau.