KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 13 — Gerakan today stated its support for the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 released by the government recently.
Its acting president, Datuk Chang Ko Youn said the party hoped that the education blueprint tabled by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, could take the national education system forward.
“The attitude of the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) in questioning the blueprint is wrong.
“Among others, they question the move of increasing the time allotted for Bahasa Malaysia at national-type Chinese schools (SJKC) from 180 minutes to 240 minutes. Questioning this is unacceptable.”
He said this after opening the Terengganu Gerakan annual delegates’ conference, here, today, in response to Dong Zong’s reaction to the education blueprint.
Chang said the blueprint was drawn up to strengthen the usage of Bahasa Malaysia, including raising the proficiency of Chinese pupils in the national language.
“Currently, most Chinese pupils who enter secondary school are not proficient in Bahasa Malaysia, hence they will face problems.
“It’ll be the same when they enter Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia or any other public universities which requires them to be proficient in Bahasa Malaysia.”
He said the blueprint was indeed good but it should not affect teaching of the Chinese language in schools.
The Gerakan leader said Dong Zong should be worried about English Language as it was a threat to Chinese Language while Bahasa Malaysia was not.
Chang said he understood that the government had no intention of destroying the Chinese language or eroding its teaching as China’s economy was expanding rapidly, besides it being the world’s second biggest economic power. — Bernama
