A Tamil education group has criticised Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister M Kayveas for calling for the closure of all Tamils schools in the country and asked the politician to apologise to the Indian community.

In a strongly worded press statement yesterday, the Malaysian Tamil Education Research Foundation described the deputy minister's call as irresponsible and urged him to retract the statement immediately.

It also warned Kayveas (left) - who is the president of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) - to refrain from touching o­n issues which relate to the culture of the Indian community.

"We advise the deputy minister to focus o­n areas within his knowledge. If he cannot help Tamil schools to get better facilities and more funds, he should just shut-up and let those concerned to continue with their good work," said its president M Manogar.

Seditious statement

He added that Kayveas - who was a former practising lawyer - should have been aware that his statement was seditious and could cause certain sections of the community to react strongly".

"Obviously, he has no understanding at all o­n the issue of Tamil schools or o­n the important role these schools play in the lives of the Indian Malaysian population," he said.

Manogar said the deputy minister appeared to be associating the social and economic problems faced by the community with these schools.

He added that Kayveas should instead find out why some Tamil school pupils are not sufficiently prepared to adopt to a Bahasa Malaysia or English teaching medium when they proceed to secondary schools.

"He should proceed to find solutions rather than to call for the closure of these schools. Is he suggesting that without Tamil schools there won't be social ills among the Indian community?" said Manogar.

Better education

On Thursday, Kayveas said the government should close Tamil primary schools to facilitate a better future for Indian Malaysian children.

He said this was essential to improve the socio-economic standing of the Indian community, most of whom are living in poverty.

The deputy minister said parents must realise that children deserve better education in schools which can promote competitiveness.

"The children can study in other schools such as national schools (using Bahasa Melayu as the medium of instruction) or even Chinese primary schools. My two children are studying in Chinese schools," he was quoted as saying.

"We have to acknowledge that students from Tamil schools are not sufficiently prepared for education in either Bahasa or English when they proceed to secondary schools," he added.

Low budgets

Kayveas said another problem with Tamil schools was the lack of facilities due to low budgets.

"Under such circumstances, Tamil school children get influenced easily by criminal activities or they remain in poverty," he said.

However, he stressed that after the government closes all Tamil schools, it would be important to make the learning of Tamil language compulsory for Indian students in national schools so that the mother tongue is not neglected.

He also praised the Vision School concept a project to place o­ne national school, Chinese school and Tamil school in the same compound with shared facilities as being able to promote racial integration.

"I think national schools are adequate to cater for the educational needs of Malaysians. If the government can make Tamil language a compulsory subject (for Indian students) there, then we can just close down Tamil schools," he said.