Gerakan Youth Secretary General Dr Dominic Lau today condemns Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim, an independent parliamentarian for Bayan Baru for calling to consider abolishing vernacular schools and religious schools. Dr Dominic Lau says that such idea is absurd, outdated and inconsistent with the Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia spirit which promotes unity in diversity.

“The existence of vernacular schools and religious schools is rooted in the history of Malaysia, we acknowledge and appreciate the uniqueness of Malaysian society and we thank our forefathers for striving so hard to realize vernacular schools for the sake of the younger generations to be educated using their mother tongue,” said Dr Dominic Lau.

“The right of the children to be educated with their mother tongue is protected in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, so who is Zahrain to suggest that the rights of the children be deprived by abolishing vernacular schools and religious schools just to promote unity? There are many other ways to promote unity, abolishing different stream of schools does not guarantee unity but guarantees deprivation of mother tongue education,” he added.

Dr Dominic Lau dares Datuk Seri Zahrain to make the same statement in his Kawasan, Bayan Baru to see if the locals in his constituency would agree to his idea. Dr Dominic also urged the voters in Bayan Baru to vote Zahrain out if Zahrain is standing for the next General Election.