PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim stressed today that the government will prioritise the immediate resolution of the issue of dilapidated schools in the country for the welfare of students and to boost the country’s education standards.

Anwar said his unity government’s approach is to ensure that all schools under the responsibility of the government will be fixed under the 2023 Budget that will be tabled on February 24.

He also said that Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin had been instructed to list the dilapidated schools in need of repairs at a hi-tea with Hindu temple leaders in Seri Perdana in Putrajaya today.

“I told the ministers that all dilapidated schools should be listed, no matter what type of school, district or number of students. Our duty, starting this year, is to ensure special emphasis to fix all dilapidated schools in the country,” he said.

He added that there was no issue about mother tongues, but stressed that the Malay language, as the official language and national language as stipulated in the Federal Constitution, should be mastered well by all Malaysians as it reflected the people’s unity and togetherness.

“The Malay language is our official language, the national language, so I’m okay with everyone using the language well. If there are Chinese, Tamil or private schools in Malaysia planning to reduce emphasis on the national language, I won’t allow it,” he said.

Anwar said mastering other languages should be supported as it would benefit the country in terms of knowledge. – Bernama, February 11, 2023.