KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 — Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman has today called on government policymakers to explore why more and more parents are choosing vernacular and international schools.

He said that as federal lawmakers, a sincere approach is needed to develop a plan to empower the national school system rather than continuing to lament its weaknesses.

"Why do some parents, including Malay-Muslims send their children to vernacular schools as well as international or private schools? We cannot blame their choice for an alternative education without realising what the problems of the current education system are.

"We need to strengthen the current national school system and not blame its shortcomings compared to vernacular schools,” he said during a press conference here.

Syed Saddiq said he is a staunch believer in the national school system being a product of it from kindergarten to primary and secondary national schools, and continued to the Royal Military College and the International Islamic University Malaysia.

"I am a supporter of our national education curriculum,” he said.

However, the former youth and sports minister said many Malaysians now are fond of comparing the state of national and vernacular schools.

He also hit out that among those are politicians and ministers or former ministers who sent their children or grandchildren to private and international schools.

"Try to research and look at these rich MPs who are sending their children or grandchildren to private schools and international schools with monthly fees reaching thousands of ringgit,” he said.

Syed Saddiq added that many MPs and politicians are not sincere, and simply claimed that the national education system has failed.

He said they needed to understand that serious reforms are urgently needed.

Earlier, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry takes note of the suggestions made by Umno Youth Chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Salleh for the government to review the vernacular education ecosystem.

However, she said her ministry has no plans so far to revamp the current education ecosystem of vernacular schools in the country.

Last Thursday, DAP MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid called on Umno Youth and Dr Akmal to better understand the education system in Malaysia before calling for the establishment of a single-stream school system to replace vernacular schools.

Highlighting the diversity of the education system, the Bukit Bendera MP said it is important to understand why parents prefer sending their children to vernacular schools compared to national schools.

Her statement came after Dr Akmal, on the day before, called for the abolition of vernacular or national-type schools, promoting instead a single-stream to strengthen racial integration and unity.