National schools in Malaysia should make Chinese and Tamil subjects compulsory, so as to pave way for the eventual closure of vernacular schools, an Umno delegate from Malacca proposed today.

Speaking at the Umno general assembly, Mustafa Musa said it was vital for Putrajaya to strengthen national schools before it attempted to shut down Chinese and Indian schools.

“Include the Chinese and Tamil languages in the curriculum of national schools and make it compulsory. We lose nothing in learning more to adapt to change,” he said when debating the policy speech.

“If national schools are strengthened that way, completely equipped with computers, with Chinese and Tamil subjects, this is an alternative to the beginning of single-stream schools. And there will be no reason for anyone to say national schools are weak.

“So we strengthen our own schools before we shut down other schools.”

He said that national schools had fallen far behind vernacular schools and urged Putrajaya to channel more funds into these schools.

“Malacca feels it is time that national schools are strengthened so that their roles become more prominent, so that their achievements are more dynamic.

“We are counting on aid. We are not establishing Malay schools. We are establishing national schools which must accommodate all races,” said Mustafa.

Right-wing Malay groups have long called for the abolishment of vernacular schools, saying they hindered national unity.

However, Prime Minister and Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Razak has pledged that the schools will not be shut down, saying that it would only turn Chinese supporters away from Barisan Nasional. – November 27, 2014.