IT is election season again … and time for our politicians to announce messed up policies, only to once again leave Malaysians to deal with the aftermath whether they win the polls or not.
For the uninitiated, the Johor state legislative assembly was dissolved to make way for fresh state polls. With that, Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (Perikatan) and Pakatan Harapan (Pakatan) are doing their best to woo voters.
What the writer would like to highlight here is the all-out war between frenemies BN and Perikatan with the latter’s component party, PAS, again playing the religious card to secure votes.
Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Idris Ahmad announced that the Government would be introducing a Fardu Ain Basic Class (Kafa) Ihsan module to all secondary school students in the near future.
According to the PAS leader, the module would be an elective subject but students will be encouraged to take it up as it would focus on personal development and leadership, on top of worship.
He added that the module is now in the final evaluation process by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM).
But it did not take long for many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to come with guns blazing to pan Idris. They questioned his rationale on introducing more religion-based subject in schools while students were already burdened with too many unnecessary subjects.
They added that the Education Ministry (MOE) should focus on strengthening the command of the English language among students and enhance subjects like Maths and Science which would be useful in the working world.
The Global Human Rights Federation aptly put it by saying that JAKIM has no business in meddling with MOE’s purview and urged the Islamic religious agency to deal with hate preachers instead.
Now, the point the writer is trying to put forth here is … why the need for Idris to make such an announcement nearing the Johor state election and even to the extent of side-stepping MOE’s authority on the matter?
The only thing the writer can think of is that, with Perikatan seemingly at the losing end in the upcoming polls, Idris made the statement to entice Malay-Muslim votes to the coalition’s advantage.
Do not forget that this is the same tactic played during the Melaka state election. PAS leaders got Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to ban lottery outlets in the state in an attempt to sway Malay votes to their side.
Although PAS got wiped out in Melaka, the damage in Kedah was done. Lottery outlets in the state got banned which had affected gaming businesses there.
Don’t sacrifice our kids
What imbeciles like Sanusi and his ilk in PAS do not understand is that by banning such legitimate business, one will only encourage illegal 4D operators to go full swing. While the lawful ones pay taxes, the illegal ones do not which means lesser revenue for the country’s already depleting coffers.
So, in the writer’s opinion, PAS leaders are just employing similar tactics done in Kedah in an attempt to swing Malay voters to them. With UMNO bent on “burying” Perikatan in the Johor state election, they are using the Kafa Ihsan subject as “political capital” to score some votes.
Bear in mind that PAS leaders are doing this at the expense of our children and we must not allow this to happen.
Whether PAS secures enough seats in Johor or not, the damage they are going to cause to our national education system may be irreversible.
Therefore, I urge the MOE and the public at large to not allow PAS leaders to get away with this. Leave our kids alone, politicians! – Feb 1, 2022
