Dr Wee: High Court ruling on vernacular schools reinforces citizens' right to education

PETALING JAYA: The High Court ruling that vernacular schools are constitutional means without a doubt that all Malaysian citizens enjoy the right to be educated in vernacular schools, says MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

“MCA will protect the diversity in this country to ensure that vernacular education is not threatened,” he said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Dec 29).

Earlier in the day, the Kuala Lumpur High Court reiterated that the existence of vernacular schools in the country is consistent with the Federal Constitution.

The court dismissed a lawsuit seeking for the government to abolish education using Mandarin and Tamil.

In reading his summary judgment, Justice Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali said the Constitution expressly protects teaching in mother tongues other than Bahasa Malaysia.

He further said the plaintiffs had failed to show how vernacular education had infringed on their personal liberty under the Constitution.

In 2020, a total of 14 groups applied as interveners following a suit filed by Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) and Majlis Pembangunan Pendidikan Islam Malaysia (Mappim).

GPMS and Mappim were seeking a court declaration that it undermined provisions in Article 152(1) of the Federal Constitution to use languages other than the national language as a medium of instruction in government-funded schools.

The 14 interveners included political parties Gerakan, MCA, MIC and Putra.

Others include the Malaysia Chinese Language Council, Tamil Neri Association, Federation of Tamil Schools Alumni, Jiao Zong, Dong Zong, Sekolah Menengah Persendirian Chong Hwa Kuala Lumpur, Gabungan Penulis Nasional, Malaysia Thamizar Association, Perak Tamilar Thirunal Association, and the Federation of Retired Tamil School Teachers Welfare Association.