Nazri Claims Media Misquoted Him On Call To Close Vernacular Schools

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BN secretary-general Nazri Abdul Aziz has accused the media of misquoting him as calling for the closure of vernacular schools
“In my speech (while campaigning in Semenyih), I said if the non-bumiputera dispute bumiputera special privileges, then what will happen is that the special privileges of the non-bumiputera may be disputed as well. This includes (calls to) close vernacular schools
“Listen to my speech. But what was quoted from the speech was 'close vernacular schools'
“[...] I strongly deny that I want to close Chinese and Tamil schools,” he told a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur this evening
Though he attributed this to “possibly biased” news outlets, the former minister, however, stopped short of blaming the media nor does he plan to take legal action
From his speech on Saturday night, Malaysiakini reported Nazri as warning non-Malays against questioning Malay special privileges or risk compromising on vernacular schools
Malaysiakini did not cite Nazri stating that he wanted vernacular schools closed. He had also said that only Muslims should be appointed as the attorney-general, chief justice and finance minister in order for them to swear on the Quran
Touching on the death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, the Padang Rengas MP said nobody has been charged in connection with his alleged assault during the riot outside the Seafield Hindu temple last November
He added that the Malays cannot be faulted for thinking the attorney-general Tommy Thomas was not being fair since the latter's "skin colour" is the same as the suspects'
'I was considered a Liberal Malay’Elaborating, Nazri said his track record would prove that he has never threatened the rights of minorities
“If I wanted to do so (close vernacular schools), I would have done it when I was in the government
“I was a minister for 18 years and if you look back at records and my speeches in the (Parliament) Hansard, it will show that I was perceived as a 'Melayu Liberal' (liberal Malay) [...],” he added.  - Mkini

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