(Kuala Lumpur) The Chairman of the Malaysia-China Education and Cultural Association, Wong Kang Thai, said education allocations under Budget 2027 must uphold the principles of fairness, transparency, institutionalisation and future-readiness to ensure that schools of all streams receive reasonable resources based on their actual needs.
He said every Malaysian child, regardless of education stream, ethnicity, religion or family background, should have equal opportunity to grow, learn and succeed.
According to Wong, in a world increasingly shaped by talent competition, artificial intelligence, the digital economy and technological transformation, education can no longer be treated merely as a social welfare issue. Instead, it is a foundation of national competitiveness, cultural continuity and the future of the younger generation.
“When the government prepares the national Budget, it should not merely compare how much was allocated this year and how much more will be added next year. The more important question is whether every ringgit of public funding can truly create more opportunities for families, students, youth, schools and vulnerable groups.”
Wong said a good Budget is not merely about increasing figures, but about expanding opportunities. It should not allow only a few to receive more, but should enable more people to move upward, receive better education, master future skills and change the fate of their families.
He said education is an important tool to break the cycle of poverty, improve social mobility and strengthen national unity. Therefore, allocations for schools of all streams should not be influenced by politics, ethnicity or school background, but should be based on student numbers, facility conditions, local needs, teaching quality and long-term development planning.
“Whether they are national schools, Chinese primary schools, Tamil primary schools, mission schools, national-type secondary schools, Chinese independent schools or other education systems, as long as they are nurturing the nation’s next generation, they deserve fair and reasonable attention.”
He stressed that no child should be seen as less deserving of safe classrooms, good teachers, proper facilities, a clean environment and access to technology education simply because he or she studies in a particular school stream.
“Education fairness cannot remain a slogan. It must be clearly reflected in the national Budget.”
Wong said he supports the government’s continued move towards institutionalised education funding, so that schools of all streams do not have to wait for ad hoc announcements every year or depend on political connections to obtain basic development resources.
He said if education allocations are based on clear mechanisms, fixed standards and long-term planning, schools can plan earlier for maintenance, expansion, digitalisation, teacher training, STEM equipment and teaching improvements.
“What schools fear most is not limited resources, but uncertainty: not knowing whether there will be funding next year, when it will arrive, and why others receive it while they do not. Institutionalisation is the way to reduce this uncertainty.”
Wong said Malaysia must look at education from a broader international perspective. China, for example, has made rapid progress in technical and vocational education, STEM, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, smart manufacturing and the integration of education with industry. These developments are worth Malaysia’s reference.
He added that Singapore, South Korea, Japan and European countries have also long connected education with their respective national industrial strategies.
“Countries around the world are competing for talent, technology and positions in future industries. If Malaysia continues to view education allocations merely as an annual administrative distribution, instead of a long-term national investment, we will fall behind in the next phase of global competition.”
Wong said the long-standing friendship between Malaysia and China offers significant room for cooperation in education, culture, technical training, youth exchanges and higher education.
He said Malaysia should make better use of this relationship to expand education cooperation, teacher exchanges, youth training, AI and STEM programmes, as well as industry-oriented skills development models.
Wong said Budget 2027 should also channel more resources towards “creating opportunities”, particularly in youth education, TVET, employability skills, scholarships, education assistance, entrepreneurship financing, digital capability and international exchange platforms.
“The biggest concern among young people today is not only insufficient income, but the fear that they have no opportunity to move upward. If a young person works hard in school and at work, yet still sees no hope of improving life, social confidence will gradually erode.”
He said the government must ensure that children from ordinary families also have access to quality education; young people from small towns, rural areas and disadvantaged backgrounds can master new skills; and those without special backgrounds or connections can still progress through education, ability and effort.
Wong also urged the government to pay more serious attention to teacher shortages across all education streams. Apart from infrastructure allocations, the government should expand teacher training, teacher trainee recruitment, scholarships and language teacher development programmes.
He said education development ultimately depends not only on buildings, but on teachers who stand in classrooms to pass on knowledge, culture, values, character and worldview to the next generation.
“We can build many schools, but without teachers, there is still no education. We can allocate a lot of money, but if that money is not turned into opportunity, the Budget will not achieve its true meaning.”
Wong said Budget 2027 will only reflect mature fiscal thinking if it moves from the question of “how much money is distributed” to “how many opportunities are created”.
“The national Budget is not just accounting figures. It reflects the values of the government. Where money is spent shows what the government places in its heart. To whom opportunities are given shows who the nation wants to bring along in its growth.”
He said a truly fair Budget should allow people of different ethnicities, regions and backgrounds to feel that they are part of the country’s development.
【69th National Day: Unity in Diversity Is Malaysia’s Greatest Strength on the World Stage】
Meanwhile, in conjunction with Malaysia’s 69th National Day, Wong extended his greetings to all Malaysians and expressed hope that the country will continue to strengthen unity as it faces international uncertainty, geopolitical shifts, economic pressure and social differences.
He said Malaysia’s greatest wealth over the past 69 years of independence is not only economic development or modernisation, but the achievement of building a nation where people of different ethnicities, cultures, languages and religions continue to live, cooperate and grow together.
“The true beauty of Malaysia is not that we all become the same, but that we are different and yet are still able to live under one roof and love the same country.”
Wong said that as the world faces war, geopolitical conflicts, supply chain restructuring, economic uncertainty and social polarisation, Malaysia must cherish the inter-ethnic trust and social stability built over decades.
He reminded political leaders not to exploit racial and religious issues for short-term political gain, because every time society is divided, it may take many years to repair the damage.
“The meaning of National Day is not only about flying the Jalur Gemilang or singing the national anthem. More importantly, it reminds us that this country belongs to every Malaysian. Regardless of ethnicity, religion or language, we should all have fair opportunities and share the responsibility of building the nation.”
He said if Malaysia wants to continue moving forward on the international stage, the country must reduce internal political friction and focus more energy on economic development, education improvement, youth opportunities, people’s livelihoods, technological transformation and national competitiveness.
“The world will not stop and wait for Malaysia just because we are still arguing among ourselves. Regional competition will not slow down simply because we remain trapped in racial and religious debates.”
Wong said Malaysia’s cultural diversity, if managed well, can become an important advantage on the world stage. Malaysia understands multilingual, multi-religious and multicultural environments, giving it a unique position to connect China, ASEAN, the Islamic world and the wider international community.
“A nation progresses not by one side overpowering another, but by how far we can move forward together. Malaysia’s future should not be built on division, but on fairness, education, cultural confidence and shared growth.”
He concluded by wishing all Malaysians a happy 69th National Day and expressed hope that the coming national Budget will truly reflect the spirit of shared development for all.
“I hope the Malaysia of the future will not only be a country with bigger economic figures, but a nation with more opportunities, fairer education, a more united society, and brighter hope for all communities.”
“Happy 69th National Day to Malaysia. May we continue to protect diversity, cherish unity, create opportunities, and with a more open international perspective, build Malaysia into a more competitive, culturally rich and hopeful nation.”