The Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) said the DLP is a powerful tool that will boost students’ interest in transitioning into careers in high-tech fields with high-paying jobs.

“Unfortunately, there now appears to be an attempt to kill the DLP by short-sighted little Napoleons,” PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said in a statement.

Noor Azimah claimed that Year 1 students are subjected to “discreet” Bahasa Melayu and not English assessments to determine whether the child is suitable for DLP or not.

“But it is the role of the teacher to teach based on parental choice (Education Act 1996) and not on what is easy for the teacher. There is no shortcut in education.”

The DLP allows pupils in selected schools to study some subjects in English and was started in 2016 after objections to its predecessor, the policy of teaching science and mathematics in English (PPSMI), which was introduced in 2002.

According to Noor Azimah, 70 Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) which fall under the rural and regional development ministry have abolished DLP for Form 1 students.

“Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who requires a high-value workforce, needs to confront the respective ministries to ensure that their portfolios align with the government’s aspirations.

“We urge the respective ministries to support parents to achieve the success of the Madani economy,” she said.

On Thursday, Anwar launched his vision of a new “Madani economy” aimed at restoring Malaysia as an economic leader in the Southeast Asian region.

The plan aims to achieve seven key targets within 10 years, including making the education system more demand-driven, especially in strengthening cooperation with industries and employers.