PETALING JAYA: The DAP said today the party has reached a common stand on Education Ministry's intention to introduce khat (a form of Malay-Arabic calligraphy) in the school syllabus next year.
Party organising secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook said DAP’s stand will be conveyed to the Cabinet soon.
Loke, who is the Transport Minister and DAP chief whip in Parliament, said the party elected representatives from all over the country discussed the matter at a meeting at the party headquarters yesterday.
“That has always been our approach. Whenever we are faced with an issue, we will discuss among ourselves.
“We come to a conclusion, a united position and then from that, we will send feedback to the Cabinet,” he said after opening the Airbus Helicopters regional completion and delivery centre (CDC) in Subang near here.
Asked about MCA's call for DAP to pressure Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to cancel the government's plan on khat, Loke said the DAP does not have to entertain the demands of any political party and will remain committed to the people’s views.
“We are not obligated to MCA; we are obligated to the Malaysian public,” he said.
The Education Ministry said on Aug 2 that it would go ahead with the proposal to introduce the khat art form in the Year Four Bahasa Melayu syllabus next year as scheduled. –- Bernama