Kota Bharu High Court rules that vernacular schools are constitutional

MCA welcomes the Kota Bharu High Court’s dismissal of a lawsuit by Pertubuhan Ikatan Guru-guru Muslim Malaysia (iGuru) challenging the existence of vernacular schools.

It must be stressed that the ruling once again affirms that the existence of vernacular schools is in line with the Federal Constitution. The Constitution's guarantees on the right to mother tongue education by all ethnic groups remain indisputable.

IGuru had earlier filed a petition with the Kota Bharu High Court, demanding that Chinese and Tamil primary schools be declared unconstitutional. However, the Kota Bharu High Court on 29 May 2022 ruled against the plaintiff.

Responding to this lawsuit, MCA once again entrusted our legal counsel Datuk Ben Tan in joining hands with Chinese and Tamil education and language associations.

MCA reiterates our vow to continue defending the Constitutional right of people of all ethnic groups to pursue education in their mother tongue, and will not sit idly by whenever the status of vernacular schools of any individual or group is challenged.

Once again, MCA thanks our lawyer Datuk Ben Chan for his tireless work and highly professional performance in the various lawsuits.

Among those present at the hearing on 29 May 2022 at the Kota Bharu High Court included MCA Kelantan State Liaison Committee Chairman Chua Hock Kuan and Wanita MCA Secretary-General Saw Ooi Leng.

MCA is grateful that High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Abazafree bin Mohd Abbas upheld the status of vernacular schools in accordance with the Federal Constitution. This decision is consistent with the judgment by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on 29 December last year.

The existence of vernacular schools is not unconstitutional, and once again the judicial process has been used to clarify and consolidate the status of mother tongue education under the Federal Constitution.

Datuk Chong Sin Woon

MCA Secretary General