WANITA MCA has applauded Health Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s directive for school canteens to continue operating during Ramadan, saying that the directive takes into account Malaysia’s diversity and co-existence among the country’s population.
Wanita MCA national deputy chairperson Tee Hooi Ling said individuals, regardless politicians or public figures, need to realise the divisive end-result when they hype up and politicise the Education Ministry’s (MOE) directive.
“Merely to serve one’s political agenda by sowing hatred, twisting the MOE directive into a religious polemic is a disservice as it will only inflict further polarisation among communities,” she said in a statement on Wednesday (March 13).
“All children are born innocent. They are colour blind and know nothing about ethnic discord. School days are the best times and an opportunity to build friendship regardless of race or religion.”
Tee said it has been common practice for decades that school canteens remained open during the holy month, and there were never any issues about any student’s faith being weakened due to the canteen’s operations.
“We also need to bear in mind that certain students may have health issues which necessitate the canteen to stay open. For example, a student might be menstruating or has not reached puberty, is unwell or require nourishment,” she stated.
“Meanwhile, school canteens derive their income from students. To shutter its operations for a month would mean one month less income for the operator despite the need to pay the rent, bills for utilities and employee wages.”
Tee further expressed hope that the unfortunate incident in 2013 where non-fasting pupils of a school in Selangor were made to eat in an area in a changing room next to washroom cubicles will not recur.
“The last we need is for Malaysia to make it to international news which happened 11 years ago, with such photos,” she added.
Tee was referring to the incident where 28 non-Muslim pupils in SK Seri Pristana in Saujana Utama, Sungai Buloh were ordered to eat their meals during recess in the makeshift canteen in the changing room during the Ramadan month.
Back then, school authorities had explained that the move was because the canteen had been under renovation.
Government figures including then deputy education minister P. Kamalanathan accepted the clarification and declared the issue closed following an apology from the school head.
According to news reports, the police had received 18 reports from members of the public, parents, teachers and staff of the school regarding the issue.
It was reported yesterday that Ahmad had criticised the Education Ministry’s move, saying that Fadhlina should instead focus on educating Muslim students on the importance of fasting and their non-Muslim counterparts on respecting the practice.
Calling the move excessive, Ahmad further accused Fadhlina of being hasty in issuing the directive which he said was disrespectful to the Ramadan month itself.
He said this did not mean they were stopping non-Muslim students from eating during the day but this is a form of “education” for them to respect the Ramadan month.
Ahmad further said that the non-Muslim students can bring food and drinks to school and consume them in a space allocated for the purpose.
“This should suffice without the need for a directive for canteens to remain open (during Ramadan) which seems rather excessive,” he had added. – March 13, 2024
Main pic credit: Blogspot/kasihmakanlaila
