Category: Mother Tongue

This is the first time I am moving a $10-cut motion, which is in fact a censure motion, on the Ministry of Education estimates, and this time specifically against the Federal Territory Education Director, Datuk Mohamed Hussein Ahmad, whose action had aggravated racial polarisation in schools by trampling on the constitutional rights and linguistic sensitivities of the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia.

On October 10, the Federal Territory Education Director issued a circular to all schools, including national-type Chinese and Tamil schools, requiring them to conduct school functions, such as weekly school assembly, speech day and sports day, in Bahasa Malaysia only. Continue reading Use of Mother-Tongue Language in School Functions

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, when officiating at the opening of the Chinese education exhibition organised by the Perak DAP Chinese Education Sub-Committee held at DAP Perak State headquarters at Jalan Kampar on Tuesday, 24 July 1973 at 9a.m.

Call on Chinese educational bodies to launch a national movement to campaign for the repeal of the 1971 Education (Amendment) Act which abolished the powers of School Boards of Management

Chinese education is at the final critical phase of its existence in Malaysia, and it behooves all Malaysians who cherish Chinese education to bestir themselves to take their place in the frontline of the defence and advancement of the fine tradition and heritage of Chinese education.

Verbal support and more good intentions which make interesting reading and good publicity cannot check or reverse the strong current against which Chinese education is struggling against. Only actual deeds and dynamic endeavour can salvage for Chinese education her rightful place in the country.

For the past one month, the Kampung Bercham Chinese Primary School affair has highlighted the predicament about the future of Chinese education and schools in the country. Continue reading National campaign for the repeal of the 1971 Education (Amendment) Act

Press Statement by Lim Kit Siang, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Bandar Melaka on 4 July 1973:

Sending of principals and clerks who do not know Chinese to Chinese primary schools: DAP calls on Dato Hussein Onn to publicly declare government’s policy and intention

For the past week or so, the Chinese community partners, teachers and students have been greatly disturbed by the deliberate departure from policy by the Education Departments in various states in sending principles not versed in Chinese to Chinese Primary schools, as in Perak, and the despatch of large numbers of clerks who do not know Chinese to manage Chinese school affairs as in Kedah, and Selangor.

One of the reasons why the Chinese community and the Chinese educational circles unanimously opposed the 1971 Education (Amendment) Act which abolished the powers of hire and fire of the Board of Managements was the fear that the amendment will be the first practical step to change the character of Chinese primary schools without consultation and consent of the Chinese community, apart from the MCA.

It is still fresh in public memory that after vigorous opposition expressed by the Chinese educational bodies and societies. MCA leaders such as Mr.Lew Sip Hon and Mr.Alex Lee sought to alley such fears by publicly giving an anequiviocal pledge that “Chinese schools will not be touched.” Continue reading Sending of principals and clerks who do not know Chinese to Chinese primary schools

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at Malacca State Sub-Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 19th June 1973 at 6.30 p.m.

Call on Chinese School Board of Managements, educationists, principals, teachers and parents to convene a national Chinese Education convention to discuss the low standard of Chinese language in Chinese primary schools

Last year, the DAP, spearheaded by the DAP Chinese Education Sub- Committee, tried to arouse public concern and consciousness about the grave problem of low quality and standard of Chinese language in Chinese primary schools.

We also disclosed the shockingly high rate of mass failures in the Chinese language during the Std. V Assessment Examination of the previous year (1971), where apart from Malacca, all states had over 34% failures. In the case of Perak, the failure among Chinese primary students in the Chinese subject was as high as 51%.

Unfortunately, apart from the public concern of a few educationists and teachers, the majority appeared unconcerned or indifferent. In fact, a few Chinese school teachers even criticized me for publicly raising this matter, and when I checked their credentials, I find they are invariably with the MCA. On lesser matters, big meetings were held; but on this crucial issue, everybody kept a distance. Continue reading National Chinese Education convention on low standard of Chinese language in Chinese primary schools

Speech by DAP Secretary- General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when declaring open the Exhibition on Chinese Education organized by the DAP Chinese Education Sub-Committee held at 63- D Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 4th May 1973 at 11 a.m.

DAP calls for the double entrenchment of the constitutional guarantee and right of (i) every Malaysian parent to send his child to the language-media school of his choice and (ii) the preservation and sustenance of Chinese-media schools in Malaysia, so that they will not be compulsorily converted into Bahasa Malaysia-media schools

On this day in China, fifty- four years ago a great revolution was launched which led to the transformation of the Chinese society through the attack, discrediting and discarding of outmoded and parasitize values, attitude, systems and public figures which had kept the Chinese society and masses in serfdom, politically, socially, culturally and economically.

This great social revelation, known as the May the Fourth Movement, was spearheaded by idealistic students, workers and intelligentsia who had enough of the oppression and misrule of feudalists, landlords, eunuchs and traitors. Continue reading The preservation and sustenance of Chinese-media schools in Malaysia

Press Statement by DAP Secretary-General and MP for Bandar Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, on 12 March 1973:

Challenge to Datuk Harun bin Idris to a public debate on whether it is in the national interest or against it for the continued non-recognition and discrimination against Malaysians holding foreign degrees of international repute

The UMNO Youth Leader, Datuk Harun bin Idris, has again spoken about anti-national elements in the country on the ground that they were using intellectuals and graduates from universities not recognised by the Government to influence the people.

He alleged that these anti-national elements were active in the industries of several states.

It is not clear what Datuk Harun is referring to, what is clear is that he is alleging that all those who disagreed with the continued non-recognition and discrimination of Malaysians holding foreign degrees, like Nantah, Formosan, Indian and Middle Eastern universities are anti-national and anti-leadership elements.
Continue reading The continued non-recognition and discrimination against Malaysians holding foreign degrees of international repute