Press Statement 
by DAP MP for Kota Melaka, Kerk Kim Hock
in Petaling Jaya 
on Sunday, August 11, 2002

PM's warning: Call on the Prime Minister to have frank dialogue with the Dong Jiao Zhong leaders


The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mahathir yesterday warned the extremists against inciting racial sentiments on the government's decision to use English to teach Science and Mathematics. 

He said, among other things, that some Chinese educationists including the advisor of Dong Zhong, Datuk Sim Mou Yu, want to make Malaysia into a little China by establishing their own schools and that on the issue of Vision School, they have opposed the interaction between the Chinese and Malay students 

The above allegations are very serious but are however untrue and unfair. His allegations show that although Dr Mahathir has been the Prime Minister of the nation for the past 21 years, he has yet to fully and truly understand the struggle of Dong Jiao Zhong. Perhaps, he has been misled by wrong information received.

Whatever is the real reason; it certainly highlights the urgent need for the Prime Minister to have a frank dialogue with the Dong Jiao Zhong leaders so as to enable him to directly and truly understand the objectives of their struggle and their legitimate fears, hopes and aspirations on the Chinese educational issues.

The Dong Jiao Zhong 's struggle, objectives, direction and method are in accordance and consistent with the principle of international educational declarations, the Constitutional right, the nations' interest and well established education theory. It is therefore unfair and incorrect to label them as extremists.

The enormous and valuable contribution to the nation's development by the Chinese primary schools and the independent Chinese schools has been openly acknowledged by the government leaders including the Prime Minister himself. Sim Mou Yu was in fact honored with a Datukship in recognition of the sacrifices he has made for the cause of Chinese education. How could he and the other Chinese educationists become extremists overnight?

The government must realize that while Dong Jiao Zhong leaders oppose the concept of Vision school, they have supported the implementation of the 1986 Student Unity Integration Plan to promote better interaction among students of all races. It is therefore totally unfair and baseless to claim that they are opposed to student interaction.

On the issue of teaching Science and Mathematics in English, while they oppose the introduction of such a proposal for the Chinese primary schools, they have also made clear their support for the government's decision to raise the standard of English among the students.

The Prime Minister should therefore be prepared to have an immediate dialogue with them to better and truly understand their legitimate fears and concerns. As the situation in the Chinese primary schools differ from the national primary schools, the government must not force the Chinese primary schools to accept the proposal to teach Science and Mathematics in English. Instead, the dialogue should also attempt to seek consensus on other ways to lift the standard of English of the Chinese primary schools.