The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), a component of Gabungan Parti Sarawak, said Ridhuan’s proposal was alarming and divisive as it risked deepening racial polarisation in the country.

SUPP Youth chief Kevin Lau said Ridhuan only sought to create more drama and controversy by “stoking the fire”, The Borneo Post reported.

Lau maintained that vernacular education was enshrined under Article 152(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution, while the Federal Court has already affirmed the legality of such schools to use Mandarin or Tamil as their medium of instruction.

“This is why Sarawak needs to intensify its efforts to secure greater education autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and push the federal government to act with urgency to return such rights to Sarawak.

“The Sarawak government and our leaders know that these schools are part of our shared heritage and identity,” Lau said.

In Sabah, a Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) leader filed a police report against Ridhuan, describing his remarks as inflammatory and demeaning.

SAPP Supreme Council member Yong Yit Lee said the preacher’s statements were also seditious and undermined national unity, Daily Express reported.

“As a graduate of Tshung Tsin Secondary School in Kota Kinabalu, I can personally vouch that Chinese independent and vernacular schools have produced generations of disciplined, patriotic Malaysians.

“Attacking these institutions insults our community and challenges the Federal Constitution, which guarantees educational rights under Article 12,” he was quoted as saying.

Ridhuan had suggested that the government withdraw funding for vernacular schools that allow serving alcohol for private events in their halls, describing it as a misuse of school facilities.

He added that Putrajaya should compel Chinese associations to fully fund these schools or turn them into national schools.