A Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) professor is facing backlash for recent remarks about Chinese school students.

According to a report by Sin Chew Daily, Emeritus Prof. Datuk Dr. Teo Kok Seong, a professor of Ethnic Studies, expressed during the event DIALOG MERDEKA: Memahami Sejarah Melalui Kepimpinan in Putrajaya on September 25 that he believes Chinese school students are not particularly smart.

He attributed this to the fact that while these students are taught three major languages—Mandarin, English, and Bahasa Malaysia (BM)—they only excel in Mandarin.

“These Chinese students studying in Chinese schools are not very smart. Even though the school teaches three languages, they are only proficient in their mother tongue. They struggle with English and Malay,” he said.

Dr. Teo also recounted an experience from a seminar in Parliament about the education system. He mentioned that a former Chinese minister, who had served for 22 months, expressed the view that the national language, Bahasa Malaysia, held less economic value compared to Mandarin and English.

The professor then commented that it seemed as though the former minister did not grasp the importance of the national language, saying, “Bahasa Malaysia is the official language of our country and a key part of our national identity and Malaysian culture.”

His remarks have sparked widespread anger among Malaysians, with many taking to social media to reject and criticize his statement about the intelligence of Chinese school students.