SAPP: Sabah Chinese schools very effective in promoting unity

KOTA KINABALU - Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Vice President, Carrie Fong Tet Meng hit out at the PJ Utara Umno division chief for accusing Chinese primary schools of sowing racial and anti-government sentiments.

"On the contrary, Chinese schools, especially in Sabah have been very effective in promoting unity and harmony among the people by the mere fact that all Chinese primary schools are multi-racial and some schools even have non-Chinese majority student population," said Fong.

She said in year 2000 at the height of the debate on Vision School, the then Education Minister Tan Sri Musa Mohamad and his senior officials agreed with the SAPP delegation that Sabah's schools are harmonious and multi-racial and that there was no need for vision schools to replace Chinese schools in Sabah.

"Chinese schools are professional and non-political. Even if some school board members are politically affiliated, these board members do not bring politics into the school because any person trying to bring politics into the school would be reprimanded or ostracised by other school members.

"For good reason, Sabah is the first State to give direct grants to Chinese and aided-schools," she said in a statement here Tuesday.

"SAPP expects our Sabahan leaders of all parties, especially Umno, to condemn the unfounded accusations against Chinese schools. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who is responsible for education in Sabah, should step up and confront any Umno delegate who makes such unfounded accusations against Sabah's Chinese schools.

"The Sabah government should also take steps to insulate Sabah against racial and religious bigots from Peninsular Malaysia who pollute Sabah's harmonious society," she said.