Press Conference Statement (2) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, at Penang DAP Hqrs on Friday, 12th July 1991 at 11.30 a.m
Challenge to Dr. Ibrahim Saad to deny that he had opposed a flexible 3M system to provide quality education to allow it to be completed between five to seven years because of extremist communalist position
Bernama reported that “Änwar Takes Kit Siang To Task” during the continuation of my speech on the Sixth Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, and this Bernama report was given full prominence by the three television channels through the Beritex service.
According to the Bernama and Beritex, Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim “chided” me for hurling accusations against the Penang Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Saad, in my speech in Parliament yesterday, and he said that I should have made “made use of the opportunity for an open dialogue” with Dr. Ibrahim Saad in the Penang Assembly instead of accusing him from behind.
Anwar Ibrahim said that “If you want to fight, let’s do it face to face and not hit from behind.”
It is never the practice of DAP leaders to ‘hit from behind’ for we always stand up a close political combat with Barisan Nasional leaders.
I could not possibly raise the issue which implicated Dr. Ibrahim Saad in the Penang Assembly, for Dr. Ibrahim Saad would be the first to say that it was a Parliamentary matter and has nothing to do with the State Assembly at all – and Dr. Ibrahim would be right.
I mentioned Dr. Ibrahim Saad in Parliament yesterday when I commented on the government’s Sixth Malaysia Plan proposal to ensure quality education by reviewing the period of completing the primary school syllabus so that it can be completed between five to seven years.
I told Parliament that I was very shocked by this announcement, as when the 3M system was first introduced in 1982, parents were told that the KBSR was a superior system because it would allow for pupils to learn at their own pace – and that the primary school system would become more flexible in that fast learners could complete the KNSR in five years while slower learners can take up to seven years.
I had asked why this flexible 3M system where it could be completed from five to seven years was not implemented for over a decade. I told Parliament that the person was because of the opposition from extremist ‘budding’ politicians like Dr. Ibrahim Saad at the time who objected to the implementation of such a flexible KBSR to provide for quality education on the ground that this would not benefit the Malay students.
DAP leaders do not talk behind the back of the Barisan Nasional leaders, for we are prepared to confront them with what we have said.
I hereby challenge Dr. Ibrahim Saad to deny that he had opposed a flexible 3M system providing for quality education by ens bling it to be completed from five to seven years because of extremist and communalist reasons and that this was the reason why this important feature of the KBSR was abandoned for over a decade.