While BN and Pakatan Rakyat were pushing on to the final stages of their campaign, 147 Johor Chinese NGOs stepped up their pressure on BN to approve an independent Chinese high school in Segamat.

"It has been 25 years since we first called on the government to revive the Seg Hwa independent Chinese high school... We cannot let the politicians continue to exploit and ignore us," said their spokeperson Lai Hee Sang.

"At least we want the prime minister to approve the establishment of a branch campus of the Batu Pahat Independent Chinese high school in Segamat before polling day."

The original Seg Hwa Independent Chinese high school in Segamat, a town 30km North of Labis, was converted to a national secondary school after the introduction of the Education Act 1961.

The Segamat Chinese community has been campaigning to revive the school since 1986.

This demand has become one of the issues haunting BN particularly the MCA in Tenang.

It was first raised by 173 Chinese NGOs who submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Jan 18 followed by an open demand by another seven NGOs.

According to Lai, the cabinet had already discussed the demand and Muhyiddin had told the NGOs' representatives in a meeting on Monday that Najib has the final say on the issue.

He requested Tenang voters to use their ballots to pressure Najib.

"We call on our brothers and sisters in Tenang to grasp this once-in-25-year opportunity to demand the prime minister to approve the Chinese community's demand for a independent Chinese high school."

Earlier Mentri Besar Johor Abdul Ghani Othman had agreed to provide land to construct the school if federal government gives the green light.

"But we still need approval from the federal government," Lai stressed.

Meanwhile,Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong urged the NGOs to be patient, as this issue needed time.