Federal Constitution does not safeguard vernacular schools, court hears

The Federal Constitution does not safeguard the establishment of vernacular schools in Malaysia, the Court of Appeal heard today.

Counsel Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who is acting for three groups - Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS), Majlis Pembangunan Pendidikan Islam Malaysia (Mappim), and Coalition of National Writers’ Associations (Gapena) - submitted that the High Court in Kuala Lumpur had erred in interpreting the supreme law of the land.

During the hearing of the three group’s appeal before the three-person appellate court bench chaired by Supang Lian, Haniff contended that then High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali erred...