Thesun 2008-12-03 Page11 Khalids Attitude Immature Says Khir

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| WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 3 2008

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Khalid’s attitude immature, says Khir SHAH ALAM: Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo has described Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s “wash my hands off” attitude in the issue of the Central Area Reinforcement (CAR) project in Rawang as immature. Last Saturday, Abdul Khalid had stated that the state government would have no part in solving the issue of the CAR project in Kampung Sungai Terentang, Rawang, which had been delayed for a year, if Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) kept to its original plan without considering other proposals from the state government. “As this project comes under the jurisdiction of TNB, we have met up with the Energy, Water and Communications Minister, Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor, and asked him to meet personally with the villagers to solve any problems,” he had told reporters. However, Mohamad Khir, the former mentri besar, said although the land involved was TNB reserve, it did not have the power to acquire the land for the project and only the state government could do so under Section 3 (1)(a) of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 in the interest of the public. “We understand that the state government tried to shift the power line to Kampung Sungai Samak and Kampung Tun Perak but the residents there protested. We hope the state government can solve the problem. We don’t want a situa-

tion where just because of 20 people, Selangor residents will face a big problem of power supply shortage,” he said. Mohamad Khir said he learnt that TNB would not budge from its original plan to install the power line through Kampung Sungai Terentang as the other suggestions given by the state government could not be implemented because of technical reasons. He, therefore, hoped that the state government would take firm action to acquire the land and hand it over to TNB. TNB president and chief executive Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh had voiced the utility company’s concern that if the project was not completed, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and a large part of the peninsula’s southern region would be facing power supply disruptions for three to four months. The CAR project, costing RM400 million, with a large portion of it already spent by TNB, could not proceed further because of objection from 20 of the 40 affected families although TNB was willing to double the relocation compensation, Mohamad Khir said. About 98% cent of the project has been completed and the uncompleted 2%, involving a distance of 1km, requires the installation of four monopoled towers before electricity could be channelled to almost 6.5 million homes. – Bernama

Mukhriz gets brickbats for proposing single education system Press Digest by Kong See Hoh

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JERLUN MP Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s suggestion of a single education system to unite the people and prevent racial polarisation did not go down well with Chinese educationists and the MCA. While the MCA said Mukhriz was raising an old issue and that the current education systems are not a hindrance to national unity, the guardians of Chinese education see it as an attempt to “uproot vernacular education” in the country, China Press reported yesterday. Speaking to newsmen in the Parliament lobby on Monday, Mukhriz said all schools should come under one system only, i.e. the Malaysian or National Education System using Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction, except for Mathematics and Science which will be taught in English. The suggestion drew flak from Chinese politicians and educationists alike. MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said: “Mukhriz’s suggestion to do away with Chinese and Tamil schools is regrettable. He is just one of the many who are now repeating the same polemics that are a few decades old, simply because of the advent of the Umno party elections. (Mukhriz is the top contender for the Umno Youth chief post.) It is sad that there are still politicians who cannot think out of the box.” MCA vice-president Datuk Liow Tiong Lai: “The present systems are acceptable to all in

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nurturing talent and fostering national unity and racial harmony. I think the current systems are best for our multi-racial society. Although there are many types of schools at primary level, students of different races still have the opportunity to integrate when they enter national secondary schools. Mukhriz probably does not know that mother-tongue education is most effective and that the current systems work well.” MCA MP for Labis, Chua Tee Yong: “We should keep the status quo as the freedom to learn one’s mother-tongue is guaranteed under the Constitution. Government policies, and not the languages in which we are educated, are the stumbling blocks to national unity.” PKR MP for Kelana Jaya, Loh Gwo Burne: “We cannot attribute the problem of disunity to the present education system. Mukhriz’s suggestion may be a means to fostering unity, but it cannot work given the current situation.” Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association) deputy president Zou Shou Han: “If the government wants to foster greater racial unity, it should be fairer in distributing the country’s wealth and resources. It it ridiculous for Mukhriz to see vernacular schools as the main cause of racial polarisation.” Jiao Zong (United Chinese School Teachers Association) president Ong Chiow Chuan: “Mukhriz has inherited his father (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad)’s leadership style in wishing to uproot the 200-year-old Chinese education. This will only cause greater disunity. I believe Mukhriz is just trying to fish for votes ahead of the Umno elections. He is unfit to be a national leader.”

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‘Hadi’s thinking narrow and outdated’ HUA ZONG (Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia) president Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong has ticked off PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for his remark that Malaysia’s prime minister must be a Malay or a Muslim. He said the Federal Constitution clearly states that any member of parliament who commands the confidence of the majority of MPs and the King can be the prime minister, regardless of race or religion. Hadi was quoted as making the remark in an interview with Harakah – PAS’s official organ. Lim said Hadi’s remark showed that his

thinking is narrow and outdated, and that he is not suitable to lead the party, Oriental Daily News reported yesterday. He said in a statement that Hua Zong held in high esteem the country’s past leaders for having the wisdom and broadmindedness to draft a Constitution some 50 years ago that protects the rights and interests of all Malaysians. PAS’s insistence that only a Muslim can become prime minister and its recent attempt to have a liquor ban imposed in Selangor showed its gradual shift towards fundamentalism.