Yong calls on PM to appoint new education minister

0

Datuk Lily Yong

KUCHING: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should appoint a new federal education minister in light of recent statements made by the present Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik on several issues which had raised serious questions on his capability to take on this task as education is a serious matter.

SUPP vice president and its Kuching chairperson Datuk Lily Yong made this call when speaking to reporters here yesterday.

She claimed there had been conflicting statements made by the minister over the recognition of Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) despite the matter being one of the promises included in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto at the recent 14th General Election.

Yong also alleged the minister recently came up with flip flop statements regarding the ruling on students using black shoes to school next year, in reference to Maszlee saying that a grace period will be given so that white shoes can still be used before the ruling is fully implemented.

“Tun Mahathir is no doubt a great leader. By now he should notice and realise he had picked the wrong person to be in charge of education. I feel that he (Mahathir) should replace Maszlee with another person who is more mature and wise,” she added.

She admitted she had been abroad before this, but she followed the happenings in the country and found some of them to be embarrassing as far as the nation is concerned.

Yong said since recognition of UEC was one of PH election manifesto pledges, she hoped they would honour their promise.

“Politicians should not use education as a political propanda to seek votes and support. This is about the future of our young generation and not a game,” she said.

She also called on the PH-led federal government to look into the reasons the so-called elite group have been sending their children to schools overseas instead of local educational institutions.

“It is an undeniable fact that a lot in this group send their children to schools overseas. And usually they don’t come back. This is a serious issue that the Malaysian government, whether old or new, has to look into seriously.

“Does this mean (sending the children to schools overseas) they have no confidence in the education system in Malaysia?,” Yong asked.