Chinese and Indian community leaders have expressed concern over a government decision to drop the words 'Chinese' and 'Tamil' from the names of national primary schools catering to children from the two main minority groups. The proposed change was announced last week by Deputy Education Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn, who said the words had a negative connotation. 'The move is understandable as we don't have a 'National Malay School',' he said. But it was bound to be more understandable to Malays, who comprise about 60 per cent of the population compared to the Chinese (30 per cent) and Indians (eight per cent). Chan Kong Choy, chairman of the youth wing of the Malaysian-Chinese Association and a vice-president of the parent body, which is the second largest party in the ruling National Front Coalition after the United Malays National Organisation, said the Chinese community was opposed to the name change. Mr Chan called on Education Minister Najib Tun Razak and his Ministry not to act hastily as the move would have 'far reaching implications' for the status of the Chinese schools. Mr Chan, who is also Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Posts, also complained that Malay teachers were being sent to Chinese schools to teach subjects in the Malay language, rather than Mandarin. Tamil headmasters said it would have been wiser for the Education Ministry to consult everyone involved in the name changes.
