Mat Sabu deciphers BN's 'crumbs' for MRSM schools

Harakahdaily

Oct 18: PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu (pic) said the allocation provided for the government's Maktab Rendah Sains Mara schools in the 2012 budget was the clearest proof that UMNO was taking Malays for a ride with its self-proclaimed title as 'defender of race'. “With only RM100 million, it is now more evident that UMNO has lied by declaring themselves as defender of the Malays,” said the outspoken veteran leader. Mat Sabu added that the meagre sum also meant that there would not be any new MRSM school to be established next year. “Worse, the allocation is lumped under Special School’s Development, Repair and Maintenance Fund of RM1 billion specifically to address the desperate state of schools in need of repair, maintenance, purchase of equipment and construction of additional blocks,” he lamented. The RM1 billion fund allocated 500 million for national schools, and RM100 million each to Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools, mission schools, government-run religious schools and MRSM. “I deliberate did not touch on the religious school which also received a small allocation. I only touch on MRSM because UMNO proclaims they are the defender of the Malays, so no one expects them to be defender of Islam,” said Mat Sabu. Saying the fate of the Malays depended on the education, Mat Sabu said many were able to move up the social ladder due to better level of education. “But the small allocation for their education, regardless whether it is religious or MRSM school, proves that UMNO has no interest in improving the living standard of Malays,” he said.