Perlis mufti endorses petition to close vernacular schools

Alfian Z.M. Tahir Alfian Z.M. Tahir Updated 6 years ago · Published on 30 Dec 2019 6:00PM · 10 Comments

Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin says disagreements will persist among the country’s various communities as long as vernacular education is allowed to exist. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 30 2019.

AFTER blaming the vernacular schools for racial and religious conflict, Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin is urging his social media followers to sign a petition calling for the closure of SJKC and SKJT, or Chinese and Tamil schools.

He has made a Facebook post with the invitation “Jom sign” (Let’s sign) with a link to a five-month old petition on change.org.

The petition, called “Abolish SJKC and SJKT and create one national Malaysian stream”, targets 150,000 signatures. It currently has more than 125,000 signatures.

Earlier today Asri, who is also known as Dr Maza, said that disagreements would persist among the country’s various communities as long as vernacular education was allowed to exist.

Asri’s comments followed a court order preventing Chinese education group Dong Jiao Zong from holding a conference on Jawi on Saturday.

“As long as vernacular schools that do not use the national language are not eliminated from the country, then the conflict and unrest between races will remain,” Asri said.

“We must unite and forget our differences in trying to restore the country’s strength with political power that will deal with this insolence firmly,” he said, without saying who should unite to face such a challenge or naming the conference that was stopped by the police.

Checks on Facebook found that many of Asri’s followers backed the petition but there were also those who opposed the idea of closing down the vernacular schools.

“One school, one concept and one soul and one day all can unite,” said Zai Asia.

“Malaysia will be more harmonious when there is only one national school,” said Afiq ZA.

“Follow what Singapore has done. No Chinese or Indian school, only one school, although the majority are Chinese,” Zackir Hussein Madon said.

“Are we ready to open up Mara science school (MRSM), UiTM and fully residential school (SBP),” said one Kamal Yun, referring to the government learning institutions which are for Bumiputeras only.

“I will sign only when the parents’ attendance at PIBG meetings reaches 75%,” Muchlis Abd posted. – December 30, 2019.

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Comments

  • He should just shut up

    Posted 6 years ago by Charis W · Reply

  • He and the promoters of the petition on FB should be arrested and charged with sedition. The police must act before this gets out of hand.

    Posted 6 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

  • Anyone wanting to see what a stupid and racist idiot looks like, this is one typical example! Yes, this so-called Dr Maza (suspect how he got that? Oh yes, bumiputra degree), is one we are referring to. You think as a mufti he would have more outlook? Wrong, he's just a stupid kampong man.

    Posted 6 years ago by Amigo sabah · Reply

  • Even Muslims wanted to burn his car as reported earlier. He is just another extremist. Malaysia is destined to doom further.

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Im from vernacular school where I was thought to be Malaysian but when I step in to secondary school then only I got to know that Im second class citizen. Mufti job is to take care of religion but this guy behaves like politician. Im dare and challenging him face me anywhere for a debate to conclude where the racism comes from.

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian Politics · Reply

  • One more thing to so called mufti. Plz check with how many non Malay students from national schools happy with the system there.

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian Politics · Reply

  • This Mufti is a danger to national security. Hence he should be arrested immediately for sedition and for making incendiary statements.

    Posted 6 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • This man should be detained under the ISA because he is a danger to public order. Why can't he stop making inflammatory statements and promote harmony instead? His actions reveal his evil intent to provoke the Malays to threaten the safety of the non-Malays. He is a disgrace to his public office.

    Posted 6 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • Why he is so daring because we have lousy PM

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian Politics · Reply

  • IGP must act. Even we layman know what he does is against the Law and against the Constitution. How can IGP not know?

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply