Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Dr. Fong Chan Onn said in Malacca yesterday that he would explain to the Education Ministry circles concerned the “concept and stand” of Dong Jiao Zong in its application for the establishment of the New Era College.
It sounds quite ridiculous that as Deputy Education Minister, Fong Chan Onn should be explaining to the Education Ministry official the “concept and stand” of New Era College proposal, when it should be the other way round - the official explaining to the Deputy Education Minister why he had refused to approve the application to date.
The impression Fong Chan Onn seeks to convey to the people is that the latest obstacle to the approval for the establishment of New Era College is because of misunderstanding or lack of understanding of certain Education Ministry officials. This cannot be the case. If it is merely a matter of misunderstanding or lack of understanding of the real nature of New Era College, then this matter should be very simple to be straightened out - with Fong Chan Onn exercising his powers as Deputy Education Minister and directing the Education Ministry official concerned to grant approval by pointing out his “misunderstanding” or “lack of understanding” of the New Era College application.
What Fong Chan Onn is proposing to do is what another MCA Deputy Education Minister did in the late seventies, when he led a MCA Youth delegation to submit a memorandum to an Education Ministry official, who was his junior and subordinate in his Ministry - a ludicrous spectacle of a Deputy Minister leading a party delegation to petition his subordinate in his own Ministry!
I hope Fong Chan Onn is not going to repeat such an inglorious action - which make a complete mockery of the office a Deputy Education Minister, highlighting the fact that he is a mere figurehead in the Education Ministry who has even less say and power in his Ministry than ordinary Education Ministry officials, when they are all under him!
The place to sort out the problems standing in the way of approval for the New Era College is the Cabinet, and this is why the MCA President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik should publicly state whether he proposes to raise the issue of the New Era College at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday and to ask the Cabinet to continue with an “open and liberal” approach to the issues of education, language and culture by allowing the New Era College to be established without any more delay.
(9/12/96)