1. Bernama.com (http://www.bernama.com)
To Be Malaysian, We Must Go To The Same School - Tun Dr Mahathir, 3 November 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- To become a Malaysian, one must at least go to the same school, said former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He said a single stream school was an ideal system practised by other countries in the world.
"Well, I think that is an ideal system...no country in the world has got three streams...none...all the countries in the world have got only one stream each based on their own language.
"You can have some schools (of other stream) but the general education must be in one stream," he told reporters after launching Rhythm of the 21st Century - Monologues of Raja Shahriman which showcased the latest artworks of Malaysia's contemporary sculptor Raja Shahriman Raja Aziddin at Galeri Petronas, here Tuesday.
However, Dr Mahathir said in this country, you could not even talk about it because the Chinese educationists were very vehement that their children must be like Chinese.
"The Chinese educationists do not even want Chinese children to be near Malay children.. they mustn't get into contact with Malay children... that is why they rejected our vision school," he said.
However, he said it was bad to remain completely separate to the point where you did not allow your children to mix with other children of other races.
"We are very free, we allow you to retain your name, you culture, your religion but to be a malaysian, we must at least go to the same school," he said.
(BERNAMA)
2. Malaysiakini.com （http://www.malaysiakini.com）
(1)Dr M backs single-stream, slams Chinese educationists, 3 November 2009
by Christine Chan
Former premier Dr Mahathir today backed the proposal to introduce a single-stream school system in Malaysia, but lamented that the topic was still a taboo.
“You cannot even talk about it (merging the three school systems) in this country,” said the 84-year-old former premier, adding that the Chinese educationists were “vehemently” against the idea.
According to Mahathir at a press conference following the launch of an art exhibition by Raja Shahriman, he blamed the educationists for not wanting Chinese students to mix with Malay or Indian students.
“They must be Chinese first, not Malaysian,” he said.
Mahathir said that only Malaysia has the unique system of having different streams of education as other countries have only one stream despite having large migrant population. He cited United States, Canada and Australia as examples.
He also pointed out that even Switzerland, which has three official languages, has an education system which provides for students to learn all three languages in the same school.
“That is why I introduced the vision school (concept), which comprises three streams in one campus. That way, students of different races can at least meet each other,” he said.
However, he said that the system was rejected and that was the reason why Malaysians cannot achieve unity.
Ex-Perlis mufti a learned man
Mahathir is also mystified on why former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was arrested.
“Even Umno and the current prime minister have invited him to talk and he (Asri) speaks rationally,” he commented, questioning the motive behind the arrest.
“I have spoken to him many times and he did not try to make me a Wahhabi follower,” he said.
He described Asri as a learned man who understands Islamic history and the teachings of the Quran.
Asri was arrested on Perlis mufti by Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) on Sunday night for delivering religious talks without authorisation.
(2) 'Chinese don't mix with others': Dr M under fire, 5 November 2009
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has come under fire over his accusation that Chinese parents do no want their children to mix with other races.
Mahathir had said this when asked to comment on the proposal to implement a single stream education system, which the 84-year-old politician backed.
Taking him to task was DAP deputy secretary-general Chong Eng, who said the former premier's statement was "totally inaccurate and amounts to an incitement towards racial prejudices."
"The majority of students from Chinese primary schools will graduate to government supported secondary schools and there are about 70,000 non Chinese students in these schools.
"The Chinese Malaysians have the right to preserve this unique system of learning, established in this country over the last 200 years," she added.
Instead of harping on the issue of mainstream versus vernacular schools, the Bukit Mertajam MP said Umno and Barisan Nasional should go to the root causes of racial disintegration.
Chong Eng said Mahathir's remark that following the example in other countries such as US, Canada and Australia, Malaysia should also have a single-stream school is going back to square one of this issue.
"Mahathir also blamed the Chinese educationists for the failure of his vision school project.
"This is not the first time Mahathir or other Umno-BN leaders tried to put the blame of the country's racial problems on vernacular education," she said.
"In fact in December last year, Mahathir's son and currently deputy minister Mukhriz had called for the abolishment of vernacular education," she added.
'Short-sighted and outright racist'
The opposition leader also noted that Mahathir's criticism of the vernacular education failed to take into account Malaysia's socio-historical and cultural background.
"Chinese education had been established in our country since the 19th century and was allowed to flourish until today.
"Instead of finding fault with vernacular education and following the footsteps of other countries, Malaysia should be proud that we have a unique multi-stream education system," she said.
In view of the rise of China as the soon to be world's largest economy, Chong Eng said Umno and BN should work on strategies to attract foreign students to Malaysia to learn the Chinese language and develop Malaysia into a regional educational hub.
"Umno-BN is not only short-sighted and ignorant but outright racist when all they can do is keep throwing blind accusations on the Chinese and other vernacular education to gain political brownie points.
"There are many other issues to be looked into in terms of national integration, including the problem of categorising Malaysians as bumiputera and non-bumiputera," she said.
"The ruling party should deal with this first and check their facts before depriving the Chinese community of their constitutional rights for the education of their choice," she added.
(End)
