Instead of a street protest, the Federation of Malay Writers Association (Gapena) has opted to lodge a police report against the government for using English to teach Mathematics and Science in schools.

The so-called 152 street protest - or Feb 15 rally - which was mooted last month, did not go ahead today. However, Gapena went to Brickfields police station to lodge a report with about 50 supporters in tow to show their support for the cause.

gapena lodges police report 01 Gapena president Ismail Hussein, speaking to journalists after filing the report, lambasted the Education Ministry for violating “Section 17 (1) Act 550 of Education Act 1996 and Section 152 (1) and 152 (6) of the Federal Constitution”.

Section 17 (1) of the Education Act states that Malay language, being the national language, should be the language of instruction for all education institutions except for vernacular schools.

Article 152 (1) of the constitution states that Malay language is a national language and no one has the authority to stop the use of Bahasa Malaysia in schools.

In the police report, Ismail argued that under both the Education Act and the constitution, it is compulsory for all subjects in school, except languages, to be instructed in Malay.

According to Ismail, the use of English for Mathematics and Science would eventually ‘kill’ the Malay language.

“However, we strongly support the use of English as a subject on its own, but not through Science and Mathematics,” he said.

Ismail, who was pressed on why the street protest did not take place today, said that the organisers are needed to satisfy too “many procedures, especially getting a (police) permit”.

“The street protest was our initial plan. But we are taking one step at a time by lodging a police report first,” he said, adding that the issue could then be brought to court once the police have decided to take action.

152 a ‘sacred’ date

Lodging the police report was the highlight of Gapena’s two-day event to protest against the use of English language in schools, which started last night.

gapena lodges police report 02 At a function held in Rumah Gapena in Kuala Lumpur earlier, Ismail told the crowd that Gapena and other Malay associations had agreed to make Feb 15 a ‘sacred’ date to symbolise Article 152 of federal constitution - which states the Malay is the country’s official language.

“We in Gapena are angered by what the government, and some political parties, have done to our language. We also feel that they have polluted our constitution,” he said.

Ismail said that even if the government wanted to improve the nation’s economy, especially in terms of technology, it should not be done at the expense of the national language.

“They (government) can do whatever they want to improve this nation, but don’t touch the constitution,” he exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Yusuf Latiff, a representative from Pulau Pinang Malay Association, said Education Minister Hishamuddin Hussein Onn should be taken to task over the issue and urged him to resign.

“We will move a vote of no confidence against him if a mammoth rally (to be held on March 7) fails. We believe that he is responsible for the violation of the constitution and the Education Act,” he said.

Meanwhile, Perlis Malay Writers (Pemanis) president Rejab Ismail said the government is acting like the Malay proverb ‘ketam mengajar anak berjalan lurus’ (a crab trying to teach its baby to walk straight).

“The government is like the ketam who wants the people to respect the constitution. How is it possible if they are the ones who are not respecting it?” he blasted.

The two-day ‘protect the national language’ event was participated by a number of other Malay groups, including the Malaysian Muslim Students National Association.