Bung (BN-Kinabatangan) said the present policy of separating children from the different types of schools is unhealthy.

“We have been independent for 60 years, sometimes we talk about unity, but there is no unity. From early on, we divide our children,” he said during the debate on the Supply Bill 2022 at the committee stage in the Dewan Rakyat.

Bung said vernacular schools should be allowed to continue, with their own syllabuses, but placed in the same compound as national schools.

The move, he said, will allow children of different races to know one another and learn from each other’s culture.

Hearing this, S Kesavan (PH-Sungai Siput) told Bung that even Barisan Nasional is divided by race under Umno, MCA and MIC.

The Sabah Umno chief replied that Malaysia is a multiracial country and efforts should be made to strengthen race relations, starting with the young.

Meanwhile, Chang Lih Kang (PH-Tanjong Malim) questioned the disparity in allocations to the different types of schools.

“We need to give the same allocations to avoid any unfairness,” he said.

Bung said the government could give the same allocations if the vernacular schools were placed in the same compound as national schools.