"If there are calls for Chinese vernacular schools to be abolished, and at the same time we are trying to increase support from the Chinese community, this is a conflicting situation," Najib, who is Umno president, said in an interview with Mingguan Malaysia ahead of the Umno general assembly next week.
Petaling Jaya Umno deputy head Mohamad Azli Mohemed Saad was recently quoted as calling on party delegates to debate whether to abolish the vernacular primary school system, which led to a backlash from the Barisan Nasional component parties.