BINTULU, Aug 18: The statement by Tanjong Batu assemblyman Chiew Chiu Sing that the inclusion of the khat component in Primary Four Bahasa Melayu textbooks is the doing of the previous government is nonsensical and an attempt by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) to detract from the truth, claims Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
According to Tiong in a statement, such a remark by Chiew as reported by a Chinese media outlet is another of DAP’s ‘disgraceful bids to justify their inaction and inability at preventing the Ministry of Education to unilaterally introduce the calligraphy component despite huge public outcry over the decision.’
Tiong also questioned why the current Pakatan Harapan government is going ahead with implementing the component now. According to him, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa had said that the previous Barisan Nasional government had abolished the inclusion of the calligraphy component in the textbook.
“In his statement, Chiew has alleged that the previous government had intended to implement six pages of compulsory Jawi calligraphy modules, that teachers will be trained and that pupils will be tested and assessed. These are all unfounded allegations. Can Chiew say how many teachers have actually attended such training?
“In fact, before the MoE (Ministry of Education) announced the latest decision, we have not heard of any implementation of these guidelines. The truth is that the current Chinese-type primary school textbooks only provide an introduction to the scripts of various ethnic groups. This is very much unlike the current intent to increase Jawi calligraphy alone to 3 pages.”
Tiong who is also the MP for Bintulu said that after witnessing a huge backlash over its decision to implement the calligraphy, the PH government has somehow decided to offload responsibility on the previous government.
“It is difficult to tell whether the PH government’s decisions in any policy actually take the public sentiment into account, especially in decisions related to the country’s future, as well as the harmony and unity of our multi-ethnic community,” lamented Tiong.
Tiong said DAP should remember its pledges and claims to defend the country’s future made when it was still in the opposition, especially those concerning the Chinese, and they could not blame the Chinese community for their reactions and backlash.
“This party’s change is clear as day; when claiming to champion the rights and interests of the Chinese before the election, DAP leaders were boastful and arrogant but after the change of government, they are nowhere to be seen and keeping mum when they should be speaking up.
“Chiew should not bury the mistakes of DAP and forget that he is a political figure. He and his ilk should own up to their mistakes and apologise to the people for committing those mistakes,” said Tiong.
Tiong pointed out that in a recent statement, the Cabinet and the Ministry Of Education (MoE) had indicated that they would let Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and pupils decide whether or not to implement the khat component.
“It is reasonable to assume that this would put pressure on PTAs and pupils in the future. For instance, although the guidelines say there will be no tests for this component, it may not be the case in the future,” he added.
Tiong opined that the learning of languages of ethnic groups in Malaysia should be elective and choices given to students to make as they please.
He said it was natural to be wary of the recent ‘compromise in the form of a so-called concession by the MoE’ as it may be a ‘sugar-coated measure to appease’ the people temporarily.
He called for the education minister to heed and respect the public’s opinion on this issue and reverse the decision to implement the calligraphy component. — DayakDaily
