At the event, DAP’s Steven Sim and PKR’s Afif Bahardin disputed allegations that vernacular schools were an obstacle to racial unity.

“The main problem for racial unity in our country is not the schools,” Sim said.

Instead, the Bukit Mertajam MP attributed the heightened racial tension to politicians who pitted one race against another.

“That is the problem that needs to be resolved,” he said.

Sim added that he failed to see how Chinese and Tamil schools, or even religious schools, posed a threat to efforts at racial unity.

Afif, who is PKR’s deputy youth chief, also rejected calls for the formation of single-stream schools, proposing instead that children be taught “the subject of unity”.

Pointing out that it was difficult to love others without first knowing them, he asked what was wrong with implementing programmes where Malay children are sent to live temporarily with Chinese or Indian foster families.

Likewise, he said Chinese children could be sent to live with Malay foster families.

Umno Youth exco member Shahril Hamdan however disagreed. He said he personally supported calls for Malaysia to have only single-stream schools.

“I support this because to me, if we want to achieve unity, the earliest step and the most important, is the interaction during childhood,” said Shahril.

The idea to abolish vernacular schools was highlighted by historian Professor Khoo Kay Kim back in 2009. Khoo said this was important to realise the 1Malaysia vision.

The idea garnered support from several national leaders including former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid had also called for the political will to at least discuss this proposal.

However, there were many who opposed the idea, including PKR’s youth wing. Its chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the idea of one system which suits all was an outdated one.