According to reports in all major Chinese-language newspapers on Nov 16, MCA vice president Ong Ka Ting was quoted as "condemning" two "non-Chinese" newspapers for "distorting" and "exaggerating" statements and remarks by leaders of the Chinese-based parties of the National Front and non-governmental organisations.

Although the housing and local governments minister did not name the newspapers, they are widely understood to be the pro-Umno Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian. Both of them are printed in the Malay language.

Ong was also quoted as attacking these two pro-Umno newspapers for being "irresponsible" and "detrimental to harmony and unity in a multi-ethnic society".

Ong claimed that the two pro-Umno newspapers often asked Umno leaders to comment on their news reports which were based on "inaccurate" information and sources, and then "blew things out of proportion". He also accused the newspapers for "misleading the Malay community".

Series of reports

Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian recently published series of reports and commentaries that attacked the Chinese educationist groups, Dong Jiao Zong as "extremists" and "chauvinists" for its opposition to the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English in all primary schools next year. A protest letter sent to the newspapers are also published in full in the Malay language in both the websites of Harakah Daily (official organ of PAS) and Keadilan Youth.

Ong, a protege of president Dr Ling Liong Sik, is widely tipped to be the preferred successor to the MCA top leadership in the post-Ling era, but it is also popularly believed that he is opposed by Team B, especially his peers, vice president Chan Kong Choy and Youth chief Ong Tee Keat.

A former school teacher and political secretary to Ling, Ong is, like Chan and Tee Keat, Chinese-educated. Ong's elder brother, Ka Chuan is the powerful national organising secretary of the party. MCA is the second largest component party of the Umno-dominated National Front.

Earlier on Oct 23, the national publicity bureau of MCA also issued a press statement expressing "regret" that the "confidential" details of the party's central committee (CC) meeting held on Oct 18 were "leaked" to the pro-Umno New Straits Times and Berita Harian. In that meeting, the MCA central committee under the control of president Ling reportedly adopted an "unanimous" decision to oppose the Umno proposal to teach Science and Mathematics in English in all primary schools beginning next year.

MCA accused Umno leaders

In that press statement, MCA also accused Umno leaders of being "over-sensitive" and "indiscriminate" in responding to the report in the New Straits Times and Berita Harian, and it named Umno Youth chief, Hishammudin Hussein as on of such Umno leaders.

In response to that report of the "secret" meeting of MCA central committee, Umno deputy president and Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reportedly "warned" MCA not to "threaten" the National Front.

Meanwhile, in a Nov 14 press statement issued by PAS vice president Dr Hassan Ali, the Islamic party also criticised Umno leaders for "blacking out" news of Malay opposition to the language switch in the official media.

According to the English-speaking Hassan who is the chairman of PAS' education bureau, the language switch proposed by Umno is also opposed by many Malays, including prominent educators and linguists, such as Ainuddin Abdul Wahid, Professor Zainal Abidin Wahid, Professor Sharir Mohd Zin, Dr Awang Sariyan, Dr Hassan Ahmad, Dr Abdullah Hassan, Professor Muhammad Haji Salleh and Professor Abu Bakar Hamid.

Hassan, a former high-ranking civil servant who served once in the Prime Minister's Department, joined the Islamic party after ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim was sacked and detained. In the 1999 general elections, Hassan won both the parliamentary and state assembly constituencies he contested under PAS ticket.

PAS statement

In the statement, Hassan expressed "full support" for Dong Jiao Zong in its opposition to the language switch decision, and denied that Chinese who opposes the decision are "chauvinists" or "extremists".

" If Dong Jiao Zong can be termed as 'chauvinists', then should Malay educationists also be regarded likewise?"

Hassan reiterated that PAS supports the teaching of Science and Mathematics in mother tongues in all primary schools.

Since 1986, PAS under the top leadership of Islamic scholars (ulama) has been consistently supporting the liberal study and use of mother tongues, including Chinese and Tamil, and attacking Umno's ethno-nationalism as ideology of assabiyah.

In 1985/86, under the initiative of Abdul Haji Hadi Awang, PAS also started to engage with Chinese organisations in dialogues on topics of mutual concerns. Abdul Haji Hadi Awang is now the menteri besar of the PAS-ruled state of Terengganu.