Dr Maszlee forced to resign for failing to heed Cabinet orders

PETALING JAYA: Dr Maszlee Malik (pic) went against Cabinet orders which resulted in his resignation as the Education Minister, says a news portal.

The Malaysian Insight (TMI) reported that a 17-paragraph letter, which it had, sighted noted that Dr Maszlee had failed to listen to advice and had on several occasions gone against Cabinet decisions.

The letter was reportedly sent to Dr Maszlee's office on Dec 27 and was written by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

According to TMI, the letter had noted that among Dr Maszlee's failures were that he did not follow advice on the Jawi issue, free Internet for schools as well as the free breakfast programme for students.

It added that Dr Maszlee was also against splitting the education and higher education portfolios.

TMI said the letter ended with Dr Mahathir requesting Dr Maszlee "withdraw from the Cabinet".

Dr Maszlee had courted controversy over the introduction of Jawi in vernacular schools when Chinese education groups were against it.

The Jawi controversy even led to hostility from Malay pressure groups which had called for vernacular schools to be shut down.

Dr Maszlee had stepped down as Education Minister on Thursday (Jan 2) and his resignation took effect on Friday (Jan 3).

Maszlee, who is Simpang Renggam MP, was appointed as minister in May 2018.