DAP calls on all Malaysian political and society leaders to keep a cool head and prove that they have the  maturity to resolve all controversies in a rational and democratic manner without resorting to emotional outbursts or threats

(Petaling Jaya, Friday): My  troubled concern at the comments by the  Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Penang on Monday on the issue of using English to teach mathematics and science in Chinese primary schools has now been proven right with Abdullah’s statement in Kuala Terengganu yesterday that all national-type Chinese and Tamil schools will not be excluded from the government’s move to use English to teach mathematics and science beginning next year. 

As I said in my statement two days ago, reading Abdullah’s statement – made in the presence of Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and the MCA Housing Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting – my impression was that MCA, Gerakan and SUPP Ministers had gone along with the proposal to switch the medium of instruction for mathematics and science in Chinese primary Schools  from Mandarin to English  when it  was first mooted some three months ago but had wanted time to deal with its “political fall-outs” and to find ways to make it politically palatable  to the Chinese community.

This was why Abdullah had said on Monday  that MCA and Gerakan had asked for more time “to gauge the Chinese community’s thoughts and attitudes” on the teaching of mathematics and science in English in Chinese primary schools. 

When Abdullah publicly urged  MCA and Gerakan to explain to Chinese primary school authorities the need to implement the policy, as  the English language had been recognized as important in science and technology as well as in the information communications technology, this could only imply that  a policy decision had been taken though not yet announced, with the concurrence of the MCA, Gerakan and SUPP Ministers, to use English to teach mathematics and science in Chinese primary schools.

If so, then MCA, Gerakan and SUPP Ministers have done a great disservice not only  to the Chinese community they claim to represent, but to UMNO,  Barisan Nasional and the Malaysian nation in their failure  to convey to the UMNO leadership three important matters at  the first available opportunity when the proposal to use English to teach mathematics and science  was first broached three months ago, viz:

• that efforts to raise the standard of English proficiency in schools including Chinese primary schools have the  full support of the Chinese community.

• the switch in the medium of instruction for mathematics and science  to English is not  appropriate or desirable  because of completely different circumstances prevailing in Chinese primary schools as compared to national primary schools.

• That what is needed for Chinese primary schools is a special matersplan to raise the standard of English without a change in the medium of instruction for mathematics and science.

DAP does not want to see Malaysia plunged into another nation-building crisis over the issue of the use of English to teach mathematics and science in Chinese primary schools like the controversy over the appointment of  senior assistant, assistant headmaster or headmaster not conversant in Mandarin to Chinese primary schools in 1987, which was one of the issues exploited to justify a mass crackdown of 106 ISA arrests under Operation Lalang at the time.

Let all Malaysians recognize that the  issue of using English to teach mathematics and science is both an education and a political issue. 

However, before its political aspect is addressed, the Education Ministry must discharge its duty to prove and convince Malaysians that the proposed switch of medium of instruction for these two subjects in Chinese primary schools is educationally sound and a good idea. 

If the Education Minister cannot make out a case for the educational soundness of the  proposed switch in the media of instruction for mathematics and science in Chinese primary schools,  then there is no need to address it as a political issue.

The Education Ministry’s Education Development Blueprint 2001-2010 gives the following comparative performance in the UPSR in 2000 in the English, mathematics and science by the national, Chinese and Tamil primary schools:

Jadual 2.6

Prestasi Mata Pelajaran SK, SJKC dan SJKT dalam UPSR Tahun 2000 

From these data from the  Examinations Board, Chinese primary school pupils excel in all the three UPSR subjects in English, mathematics and science as compared to pupils from national and Tamil primary schools. 

With the use of English to teach mathematics in Chinese primary schools, will the very high percentage of 91.2% pass in mathematics scored by Std. VI Chinese primary school pupils in 2000 plunge to the level of that of the national primary schools of around 75% - or could the performance of Chinese primary school pupils in mathematics be lifted up further to say 95% by the switch in the medium of instruction for the subject? 

Unless the Education Minister and MCA, Gerakan and SUPP Ministers and leaders can  answer this question, they should not arbitrarily and undemocratically force a switch of medium of instruction for mathematics in Chinese primary schools. The same considerations apply to the science subject. 

DAP calls on all Malaysian political and society leaders to keep a cool head and prove that they have the  maturity to resolve all controversies in the country in a rational and democratic fashion without resorting to emotional outbursts or threats, some of which were  made in the past few days, as demanding the termination of all government financial support for Chinese primary schools if the use of English to teach mathematics and science is rejected by Chinese primary schools and the barring of Chinese primary school pupils from Mara Science Junior Colleges (MRSM). 

It should be incumbent on all responsible political leaders to restrain these “hotheads” from plunging the country into another national crisis to mar the 45^th National Day celebrations on August 31, like the UMNO Youth’s emotional outbursts over Suqiu Election appeals which marred the 43^rd National Day celebrations  two years ago. 

All  mass media must also exercise responsibility  not to stoke such emotional “fires”. The issue of the use of English to teach mathematics and science in Chinese primary schools should be seen from the standpoint of  what is in the best interests of the over 600,000 pupils in Chinese primary schools and the nation, and not as a test of strength or credibility for any political leader! 

DAP calls for an all-party conference involving the top leaderships of the Barisan Nasional, Barisan Alternative and the DAP to reach a national consensus on the proposal to use English to teach mathematics and science for all schools, as well as the best way to enhance English proficiency in schools and universities to restore Malaysia’s national competitiveness  to face the challenges of globalisation, liberalization and information and communications technology to build a prosperous, equitable and progressive tomorrow.

(2/8/2002)