Under fire PN clarifies stance on vernacular education

Amid the attempt to politicise Pang Sock Tao’s vernacular education background by Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) that did not go down well, Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal (PN-Machang) went into damage control mode.

He said that his coalition was not against vernacular schools but advocated for enriching national curriculum.

“As we said in Parliament, we would love vernacular schools to be enriched with the national curriculum so that they reflect our national character.

“But, in principle, PN will never shut down vernacular schools,” he said, yesterday.

Wan Ahmad Fayshal had previously been reported to have called for the closure of vernacular schools.

The dare by Ahmad Fadhli had prompted many DAP leaders to question the federal opposition’s stance regarding vernacular education.

For the record vernacular schools do use national curriculum.

The ones that do not use are private Chinese schools. All Tamil schools also use curriculum that is provided by the Education Ministry.

On another note he downplayed the need to debate the issue in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.

Pang Xiao Tao of the DAP would be facing off Bersatu’s Khairul Azhari Saut, PRM’s Hafizah Zainuddin, and Independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin on May 11.

The by-election was triggered by the passing of Kuala Kubu Baharu’s three-term incumbent Lee Kee Hiong on 21 March. Lee succumbed to cancer.

There are 40,226 voters. Of this, 21,480 are Malays, 12,268 Chinese, 6,362 Indians and 116 others.