Updated - DPM shuts door on new Chinese independent schools

The federal government will not review the status quo on Chinese independent schools to allow the construction of new schools due to its historical context and the future direction in which the country is heading.

In his lengthy explanation at a press conference today, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Chinese independent schools were the product of an understanding struck between the government and the Chinese educationists when the Education Act was about to come into force in the 1960s.

He said while a fraction of other Chinese schools at that time opted to be transformed into Chinese vernacular schools and teach the prescribed subjects, the Chinese independent schools chose to reject the offer and remained unchanged.

“There was an understanding at that time that the schools would be allowed to stay, but there would not be any increase in the number of schools,” he said.

Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, was responding to a letter shown by a Malaysiakini journalist on a much-touted deal struck between the government and the MCA in 1995 to maintain the non-recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), the Chinese independent schools’ exam.


The Malaysiakini journalist was intending to verify the existence of the secretive deal with Muhyiddin, but the deputy premier raised his hand to pause the question.

He then went on to explain the history of the schools, without confirming anything about the alleged deal.

He said the position of Chinese schools have been strengthened following the removal of the education minister’s power to shut down a school in 1996.

Four types of schools under the current context

He added that under the current context, schools are divided into four types - government schools, private schools, international schools and conforming schools.

“If the (Chinese independent schools) want to stay, they can stay. But if they want to move forward, they have to follow what we do to become a conforming school.

“For example, for (SMJK) Jit Sin in Penang, we already approved its expansion plan.

“So I think we don’t need too much polemics on this issue,” he said.

When asked to respond to the United Chinese School Committees Association’s (Dong Zong) request to review the status quo, Muhyiddin said this is unnecessary.

“We shouldn’t look back, we should look forward and see how we can bring our country to a brighter future.

“We should consider  the aspects of integration and mutual cooperation, that is the objective of education, apart from gaining knowledge in school,” he said.

The Pagoh MP also claimed that the issue is being sensationalised  to discredit the MCA.

“What is the point to debate the issue, if not because they want to slam MCA and claim MCA does not take care of the community?” he said.