Sg Limau by-election: Government to continue helping vernacular schools

Fuente: 
The Star
Fecha de publicación: 
31 Oct 2013

The Barisan Nasional government will continue to assist Chinese and Tamil schools for as long as there is the sun and the moon, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said it was not true that the coalition was giving allocations to vernacular schools only when there was a general election or a by-election.

He said allocations announced ahead of the Sungai Limau by-election on Nov 4 were approved earlier and were not just “goodies” to entice Chinese voters, who number more than 1,800 here.

“Even if there is no election, we will still help, because the Barisan government is committed to improving education,” he told reporters after having lunch with the Chinese community at the Barisan command centre here yesterday.

“It is a fact that Barisan has spent billions to assist Chinese schools over the decades. And, as long as there is the sun and the moon, we will continue assisting Chinese and Tamil schools,” he said, hitting out at Dong Zong (the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) and the Opposition over their claims that the Government had neglected Chinese education and the community.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, had earlier announced an allocation of RM1.8mil to three Chinese schools and another RM200,000 as start-up capital for the Sungai Limau Chinese Students Education Fund in aid of tertiary students.

He said the by-election would measure the change of attitude of Chinese voters for Barisan, adding that MCA and Gerakan had been doing a lot of groundwork in the constituency over the past month.

He also extended his gratitude to the family of the late Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak for accepting his apology over his remarks that allegedly linked the former mentri besar to his health issue and diabetes when explaining the rationale for removing the sugar subsidy in Budget 2014.

Azizan’s son Rafiiy had sent an SMS to Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir saying his family had accepted Muhyiddin’s apology.

 

Author/Autor: Sira Habibu  and Embun Majid

Source/Fuente:http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/10/31/Govt-to-continue-helpin...