Kit Siang defends khat after jeering incident


Yeoh Cheong Ee

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has again defended the introduction of khat in vernacular schools, saying it is already in the current Year 5 Bahasa Malaysia textbooks. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 10, 2019.

LIM Kit Siang has again defended the introduction of khat in vernacular schools, saying it is already in the current Year 5 Bahasa Malaysia textbooks in national type schools.

Lim said this shows that khat is not a foreign subject as alleged by some in the Chinese community.

“It already exists (in the syllabus),” he said at a press conference this morning, hours after he was jeered at an event over the Education Ministry’s plan to introduce khat in year four textbooks.

During the press conference, the Iskandar Puteri MP flipped through a Year 5 Bahasa Malaysia textbook used in a Chinese primary school to show that Jawi is already being introduced in the syllabus.

Lim said Jawi will still be introduced if Pakatan Harapan did not win the May 9 general elections last year, and students will have to study and be assessed on it in exams.

He said DAP as a PH component party had through its deputy education minister safeguarded the people’s voice now that students will not be assessed on Jawi as planned earlier by the Education Ministry.

Lim then said viral videos where people attending a function had jeered at him over the introduction of khat in vernacular schools did not completely capture the mood at the event.

The Iskandar Puteri MP said the atmosphere last night was no worse than usual and urged all parties to not forward misleading news that can confuse the people.

In the two videos circulating on social media, Lim, who was giving a speech at a Hungry ghost festival event in his constituency, can be seen being shouted at and booed at by the public.

Online portal Malaysiakini reported that the function’s organiser had claimed that Lim was booed at by locals as they were not happy over the khat issue.

According to the report, Lim subsequently left as he had to attend another function in his constituency.

Lim said in PH’s past 15 months of governance, certain parties have used fear-mongering to create a siege mentality among the races, which are now each looking to defend their own rights. The DAP veteran urged the people not to fall for such manipulative tactics. – August 10, 2019.


Sign up or sign in here to comment.


Comments


  • Forgive them LKS. Sometimes some people just cannot think and see everything well.

    Posted 4 years ago by SY L · Reply

  • We want to forgive LKS for failing to stop the stupid MOE move, but it is difficult.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Wake up LKS and listen! DAP is becoming to MCA 2.0z We dont want any Islamic, or for that matter any religion element, in our school education system. Period.

    Posted 4 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • I thought of all people, LKS would be the last man dumbed down by the politics of divide n rule.

    Well, life continues to spring surprises ...

    Posted 4 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply