Vision School: Chinese Racialist? 文告:华社未排斥友族同胞

Much has been debated about the vision school and the real controversy is that the Malays including Mahathir do not really understand the reason why the majority of Chinese is against the implementation of vision schools.

All of us accept that mingling of 3 major races in primary schools is important. We cannot live in a multiracial country where major races are like aliens to each other. There must be some common grounds of interaction and understanding, mutual respect and tolerance in order to ensure racial harmony and peace.

This basic principle, I believe, is agreed by every Malaysian but how do we achieve it? Is vision school the only way to achieve this?

The answer is no.

There is always this thought that when major races share the same compound as proposed in vision school, then there is some interaction and hopefully understanding. However, the Malay schools will be dominant by virtue of fact of a bigger enrolment of pupils. Since the civil service is dominated by one particular race, there is this fear among Chinese educationists that the Chinese primary schools will ultimately change in character. Hence, it all boils down to trust of the Chinese community towards the government in its implementation of mother tongue education.

While citizens have the right to pursue mother tongue education, it has never been a hustle free freedom to pursue your mother tongue education.

When it comes to actual Chinese primary school development, there’s a host of problem and this has created suspicion and mistrust that is the biggest tumbling block to the acceptance of vision school. It is not that the Chinese are against interaction with other races. We value racial integration just like any other races.

In any community, there will always be people with a very tunnel vision regarding race, religion, education and culture. You can find that in all community, be in Chinese, Malay or Indian. Hence, it is dangerous to stereotype and make sweeping conclusions.

If leaders take recognition that there is lack of trust and confidence, then leaders should take positive steps and policy implementations to show that the government of the day is fair to all races as far as the educational opportunities and development are concerned. It is not just through pronouncement and lip service. Every community must see and feel that the government care and that every citizen’s right as enshrined in the constitution are given full protection.

After 308 election, I do see the change of heart among some Malay leaders as to mother tongue education. Some good examples is:

1) The 1^st and 2^nd stimulus package has given allocation to Chinese schools. This allocation is given directly to Chinese school board. To be fair, this was a decision made by the government before the 308 election. The result of the election could have hastened the implementation of this decision.

2) Relocation and building of new Chinese schools is to be bored by the government. 20 Chinese primary new schools of which 7 are new schools and 13 are relocated schools. This is a big change in the implementation of the construction and relocation of Chinese schools after the 308 election. Traditionally, this is borne by the Chinese community through contribution and partially only financed by the government.

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（吉隆坡24日讯）马华署理总会长拿督斯里蔡细历医生认为，宏愿学校推行以来争辩不断，其实真正的争议来自很多马来人包括敦马哈迪医生无法了解华社抗拒宏愿学校的真正原因。

他说，抗拒宏愿学校不代表华社排斥友族或否定种族交融的重要性。华社其实和其他族群一样重视种族融合，绝对没有排斥或拒绝与友族同胞交往的心态。

他今日发表文告说，在马来西亚，人民虽然有权追求母语教育，但这份自由却不是必然的，加上当华小的发展不断面对重重阻力，更加深了种族间的猜疑和不信认，而促成华社接受宏远学校的绊脚石。

蔡细历指出，一般人会认为，把各种族学生安排在同一屋檐下学习，如宏愿学校，可以促进种族交流及谅解。然而，不能否认马来学校收生人数占尽优势，加上目前特定族群主导公共服务领域，这些因素或让华教人士担忧华小最终会变质。追根究底，一切归结于华社对政府对待母语教育的信心。

“人民一般上都同意让三大种族学生在混合学校上学的重要性。我们生活在一个多元种族的社会里，必须要懂得与友族同胞以礼相待、互相尊重及谅解，才能确保种族和谐与和平。”

“我相信这是全体马来西亚人民都会认同的基本的原则。问题是，要如何实现？宏愿学校是实现上述目标的唯一途径吗？我不这么认为。”