KUCHING: Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (pic) is urging Tanjung Batu assemblyman Chiew Chiu Sing to justify his false allegations that the previous government intended to implement six pages of compulsory Jawi calligraphy modules.
“It was said that the implementation also involved training for the teachers as the pupils will be assessed.
“Can Chiew elaborate on the numbers of teachers who have received such training?” he questioned, stressing that “these are all unfounded allegations”.
Tiong, who is also Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president, in his statement on Saturday remained sceptical over the implementation as he opined that the Education Ministry (MoE) would put pressure on the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and pupils to impose examinations for the lessons in the future.
“The Cabinet and the ministry had indicated that they would let the associations and the pupils decide whether or not to implement the calligraphy component,” he reckoned.
He stressed that the learning of ethnic languages in Malaysia should be made as electives and students be given the choice to learn.
“It is difficult to tell whether the PH government’s decisions in any policy actually take public sentiments into account, especially in decisions related to the country’s future,” he opined.
Reminding Sarawak DAP to remember its endless pledges and claims to defend the country’s future when it was still in the opposition, Tiong warned DAP not to blame the community for slamming the move.
“They cannot blame the Chinese for their reactions and backlash.
“After all, it was them who promised the moon and stars in order to win their votes. Having formed the government, they seem to have turned into a party of deceit and power-seeking,” he added.
Tiong described Chiew’s statement as another disgrace of DAP in preventing the ministry from polarising education by imposing the calligraphy despite huge public outcry opposing the move.
“After witnessing a huge backlash over its decision to implement the calligraphy, it has somehow decided to shirk its responsibility to the previous government.
“Clearly, in order to do damage control and preserve his party’s reputation, Chiew justified its decisions at the expense of the truth,” he stated.
Tiong also said, “Chiew should not bury the mistakes of DAP and forget that he is a political figure.”
