by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, June 15, 1991:
All Chinese and Tamil primary school pupils who pass the UPSR national school Bahasa Malaysia paper should be exempted from Remove Class and promoted directly to From One if they get passes in other subjects
The Education Ministry has announced that Chinese and Tamil primary school Std.IV pupils can now opt to sit for the Bahasa Malaysia paper offered in the national schools (SK/SRK) in the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR).
Those who attain a ‘suitable level’ in the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper and obtain an ‘A’ in all other subjects would be exempted from Remove Class and promoted automatically o From One.
In the first place, what is this ‘suitable level’ of pass in the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper? Why shouldn’t a simple pass in this SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia be adequate, as pupils in the national primary schools are promoted to From One regardless of whether they pass or fail the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper.
Secondly, why should the Chinese and Tamil primary school Std.IV pupils be forced to choose between for their SRJK UPSR Bahasa Malaysia or the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper? As pupils in the Chinese and Tamil primary schools, they should continue to sit for the SRJK Bahasa Malaysia paper. However, they should have the option of sitting for the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper, as an addition paper, instead of as a substitute paper.
Thirdly, why should the Chinese and Tamil primary school Std.IV pupils get As in all the other subjects even they achieve the necessary grade in the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper before they are exempted from Remove Class to be promoted automatically to From One? After all, the subject in contention had always been the command of Bahasa Malaysia by the Chinese and Tamil school pupils. If they can prove that they have this command, they should be allowed automatic promotion to From One without going to Remove Class, if they can get passes in all the other subjects. To require that they must get ‘A’ for all other subjects is unfair.
Fourth, why was new decision taken when the UPSR is to be held in a month’s time on July 23, giving virtually no time for the Chinese and Tamil primary schools to prepare?
In summary, DAP wants all Chinese and Tamil primary school Std.IV pupils sitting for the UPSR to continue to sit for their SRJK Bahasa Malaysia paper, but they shoiuld have the option to sit for the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper as an addition paper.
Those who pass the SK/SRK Bahasa Malaysia paper, and get passes for all other subjects, should be exempted from Remove Class and promoted automatically to From I.