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Perhaps YB Dato’ is right. Maybe it is time we have a single school system in the country. I suppose the reasoning behind suggestion is to enable students of various ethnic backgrounds to study together. Today the majority of students in a national type Chinese school are ethnic Chinese and Tamil Schools are Indians. Studying together with students of other ethnic back grounds will strengthen unity. It will also assist in understanding each other.

However, we should not stop there. Why stop at Chinese and Tamil schools. We should also shut down Maktab Rendah Sains Mara, Malay College Kuala Kangsar, Sekolah Alam Shah in Putrajaya, Sekolah Agama in all states, as the majority of students in those schools are ethnic Malays. Then we can really achieve what YB Dato’s wants to achieve ‘unity’.

The next steps to take in line with YB Dato’s grand suggestion is to disband University Institute Teknologi Mara, here again the majority of the students are ethnic Malays. Alternatively open UITM to non Malays. But hold on a minute, if YB Dato suggests these extensions of ‘single school’ to MRSM, MCKK and UiTM it would be political suicide.

YB Dato’ if your suggestion is made with the intentions of forging unity, then it should apply across the board. However, if it is a Political ploy for the coming UMNO elections, then stop these ridiculous suggestions. The Honorable Deputy Prime Minister has stated “The Government's policy is to ensure each individual gets to select the school of their choice, as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.We are committed in ensuring that Chinese and Tamil language schools remain in this country as long as the respective communities need them”. I wonder will the aspiring Pemuda Head be defiant of the Future President of UMNO.

Sad.

Malaysians keep electing representatives who do not even understand what unity is all about.

Unity is not about being the same as (or very similar to) the others. That is cloning. Unity exists not because we are all 6 foot tall, or speak the same language, have the same skin colour, follow the same religion, or like the same food.

Unity is forged because we have the same aspirations, in our case to live together as equals in peace, harmony and prosperity in a free and non-corrupt environment, governed by representatives who use their power to serve rather than to rule, and who must be booted out whenever they betray the people's trust.

It is my belief that millions of Malaysians are united in these aspirations, until some politicians come and muck it all up.

Sad.

Yeo Yang Poh

A view advanced has been that Mukhriz called for the abolition of vernacular schools in order to secure votes in March when he makes his maiden bid for Umno Youth chairman.

This view is highly persuasive, but worrisome. It is troubling that more than 50 years after Independence, our political leaders still need to appeal to their particular race when elections are held in their respective parties.

Such politicking which sails very close to the winds of sedition may well reflect how skewed our political process has evolved into and how warped these race-based party leaders have become. It could well also reflect the dangerous depth into which our country’s political culture has sunk.

If I am right, it is time for all Malaysians to take a pause and ponder on alternatives that our nation’s short history has to offer.

Stephen Tan Ban Cheng

I agree with Karamjit.

Also, we should consider the main reason why many parents send their kids to vernacular schools i.e. they don't think there's enough quality in "national" schools.

If the Education Ministry can ensure there's sufficient quality across the board, then I think there's less risk of racial/cultural/religious polarisation.

ALEX TAN

It was on account of the VERNACULAR SCHOOLS that the BN first won the support of the Chinese and Indian citizens of Malaysia - and that was 51 years ago!

It was also on account of the VERNACULAR SCHOOLS that the BN had continued to rule Malaysia for the past 51 years, and maybe, more.

Now, why then, kill 'the goose that lay the golden eggs'?

The VERNACULAR SCHOOLS are the very geese that had laid the 'golden eggs' for the BN's many past and present political leaders. We must not forget that.

Therefore, instead of allowing any past, present or future BN political leader to 'demolish' the geese that 'had laid the golden eggs', they ought to protect, preserve and even promote such schools! The least that they can do is to leave them alone, even if it means their having to suffer and 'groan'.

Afterall, many such Chinese Vernacular Schools had been 'financially independent ones', and supported by the Chinese parents and philantrophists themselves!

Just interview the PIBG presidents of such schools and the public will know the truth of just how much the Chinese had contributed towards the sustenance of such schools!

Tan Peek Guat