KUALA LUMPUR – MCA has trained its guns on the Education Ministry following today’s cabinet reshuffle, suggesting that the existing minister, Fadhlina Sidek, and new deputy, DAP’s Wong Kah Woh, resolve issues surrounding vernacular education.
MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng also took a broad swipe at the apparent lack of coordination between the education minister and her former deputy.
Among the issues concerning vernacular education, he said, are confusion over the number of teachers for vernacular primary schools, the 10+6 Chinese primary school plan, school allocation, and teaching science and mathematics in English.
“While changes have occurred, the apparent lack of coordination between the minister and deputy on these issues is even more perplexing.
“Thus, it becomes necessary for the new Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh to correct the shortcomings of his predecessor,” Wee said in a statement.
He added that Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan has a lot on his plate as foreign capital outflows from Bursa Malaysia persist.
“The top priority for Amir Hamzah should be to formulate a clear, practical and feasible economic revitalisation plan to effectively improve the public’s wellbeing.
“Via this appointment, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be able to focus on the macro leadership of his cabinet and the government, while Amir may concentrate on managing and planning economic development.”
Anwar today named five new ministers with one dropped from his portfolio. Five new deputies were also named, with two dropped.
Apart from Amir Hamzah, Lim Hui Ying is now deputy finance minister, while former deputy finance ministers Steven Sim and Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan were respectively made human resources minister and deputy works minister. – December 12, 2023