YOURSAY | ‘They are bent on dividing the nation when we should be coming together...’

Isma files legal challenge over validity of vernacular schools

Skippy: It's not about the language, it's the mentality. If there are enough books properly translated, lessons syllabuses properly organised, teaching capability properly utilised and high standards are maintained, it doesn't matter if the lessons are conducted in Greek - all students will excel.

If you don't believe me then go ask the Japanese, Chinese and the Germans.

So, why vernacular schools? Well, firstly there is no religious education there. They concentrate on education, not religion. For these schools, religion is a personal matter. You take it up personally with your own god.

Secondly, their books, syllabuses and teaching ability are beyond question. All their students leave school with capabilities in three languages - Malay, Chinese and English.

Thirdly, discipline is tight. No slackers can survive in this tough learning environment.

Finally, there is no barrier to entry to these schools, they accept all Malaysians - Malay, Indian and Chinese. So, the muhibbah (community) spirit is stronger in these schools than you think.

There 100,000 non-Chinese are enrolled in vernacular schools. Do you think their parents are stupid? Instead of abolishing these schools, why don't the Education Ministry send people there to these schools and study why they produce excellent students and then replicate that throughout the national schools?

You should try and consider one more scenario. Do you think that forcing all students into national-type schools will level the playing field for you? It will not. These students will just naturally upstage all of you, even if the learning is in Bahasa Malaysia.

Rethink your strategy, please. That is, if you're thinking about the kids’ education instead of politics.

Ravinder: They are actually very worried that about 100,000 Malay children are now in the Chinese schools.

These Malay children, and more entering the Chinese schools each year, will be very different from those studying at sekolah kebangsaan (national schools), which are more like sekolah agama (religious schools) now.

These Malays will outshine those educated in sekolah kebangsaan. They want to keep tight control over all Malays, and that can only be done by keeping them ignorant. To do that, they have to try and get the Malay children out from the Chinese schools. And to do that, they want to close down the Chinese schools.

Clever Voter: Isma is one of those groups who have very parochial and superficial thinking. Short of calling them stupid they should scold the sekolah kebangsaan on why their standards have become so bad, and why the billions spent on education are wasted.

Vernacular education has been consistent. Not everything is perfect in these schools, but they rely less on government funding and they don't have religious education brought into the classrooms.

Gerard Lourdesamy: Go ahead (with Isma’s legal challenge against the validity of vernacular schools). It is 100 percent that they will lose the case.

The provisions of Articles 12 (1) (a) and (b) and 152 (a) and 160 of the Federal Constitution and section 2 of National Language Act 1963/1967 are very clear.

The Federal Court decision in the Merdeka University case on the definition of official purposes and public authority would be instructive to dispose of this case.

The Malays with children in Chinese schools have no time for these idiots.

Undecided: Isma and those like it should be banned in Malaysia. They are continually stirring up racial sentiments which divide the country regardless of whether it makes sense to do so.

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, they still want to create disunity among Malaysians.

Anonymous_3b6c1f0c: At a time when the country is faced with a pandemic, these racists are hell-bent on dividing the nation when we should be coming together as a community to help one another.

All this because these racists have only one agenda to promote racial supremacy and oppress the other races, and to make sure their pockets are filled to the detriment of the majority poor in this country.

Anonymous_1544340881: This is just a distraction from the Sri Petaling mosque tabligh issue. They are also publicity hounds and get a thrill out of their moves being reported in the news.

Shouldn’t they use their members to help track down and persuade the tabligh attendees to go for testing? This only proves that they really don't even care for the health or welfare of fellow Muslims who will bear the brunt of the virus spreading around in their community and infecting others too.

People are dying. Muslims, Malay, non-Muslims, Chinese, et cetera. The virus does not care if you can speak Bahasa or not. If you cannot help, please don't get in the way. There is enough time for politics. Just not now.

Alternatively, I could be totally wrong, and this is a power play by Umno to pressure Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and Umno president Abdul Zahid Hamidi and Umno, in general, want the spoils of being in power and Muhyiddin is only dishing it to his supporters.

Anonymous_1539942549: These guys (and their shadow bosses who have no guts to show themselves) are really goons and lack appreciation of the gravity of current problems that the nation is facing.

There are more critical and life-threatening matters on hand and all that matters to them are how and where our children attend schools.

Do these guys and their bosses need to be infected with the virus and be on their deathbeds to get their priorities right?

Anonymous 0123456789: Good move, Isma. Better late than never. Vernacular schools stand in the way of national unity.

Anonymous_29dd: @6789. Yes, you're right. It's a stumbling block. Let's get rid of tahfiz schools, Universiti Teknologi Mara and preferential treatment, too. Those are stumbling blocks as well.

Don't be selective in your argument for national unity.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.