HULU SELANGOR: Perikatan Nasional will never shut down vernacular schools if it comes to power, reiterates Bersatu youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
According to Wan Ahmad, Perikatan only wished for a national curriculum to be included in vernacular schools to create students who encapsulate Malaysia as a nation.
"Perikatan’s stance is quite clear: we cannot shut down vernacular schools.
"But of course, in principle, as debated in Parliament, Perikatan will never shut down vernacular schools.
"How can we do that? We are not part of the government," said Wan Ahmad during a press conference at Perikatan’s operations centre in Batang Kali on Thursday (May 2).
Wan Ahmad acknowledged that some Perikatan leaders had made unfavourable comments on vernacular schools during the Kuala Kubu Baharu election campaign but said it was merely a response to Pakatan Harapan candidate Pang Sock Tao’s education background.
"It has nothing to do with vernacular schools. I believe Chinese and Indian voters understand that Perikatan is not anti-vernacular schools, as we just want the best candidate to win and safeguard Kuala Kubu Baharu’s interest," he said.
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal was responding to PAS youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who issued a sarcastic apology to Pang after she revealed that she obtained straight As in SPM and UPSR from vernacular schools.
Ahmad Fadhli also noted that Pang’s remarks indirectly revealed that she graduated from a vernacular school, and he hoped the issue of her educational background would persist until polling day.
The Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election will have a four-cornered fight involving Pakatan’s Pang, Perikatan’s Khairul Azhari Saut, Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Hafizah Zainudin, and independent Nyau Ke Xin.
Polling is on May 11, and early voting on May 7.
