The rejection of the New Era College is against both the spirit and objective of the Second Industrial Master Plan (IMP2) which focus on human resource development as one of the five critical elements of economic foundation for the next 10 years.
In the run-up to the 1995 general elections, Barisan Nasional leaders from the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister downwards, praised the Chinese community for their contribution to education in helping to train qualified manpower for national development - mentioning in particular the contribution of the 60 Chinese Independent Secondary Schools.
By this logic, the Government should be appreciative of the continuing efforts of the Chinese community to extend their contribution in higher education through the establishment of the New Era College and should do everything possible to enable the New Era College to be established as early as possible, rather than creating one excuse after another so as not to give approval.
The Minister for Education, Datuk Najib Tun Razak should give a clear-cut statement in Parliament next week to explain why there is now a new obstacle for the approval of the New Era College, when the Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Dr. Fong Chan Onn had said last month on October 31 that there should be no problem in the Ministry of Education giving approval as Dong Jiao Zong had revised its application in accordance with his advice.
The Education Ministry should grant approval for the establishment of New Era College without any further delay to show that Malaysia has matured to a stage where education is no more regarded either as a political or racial issue but a matter of national importance.
(30/11/96)