Dr Mah: School’s move to segregate sports racially not in line with Education Ministry aspirations

JOHOR BARU: The move by a national-type secondary school in Batu Pahat to segregate sporting activities based on race is not in line with the Education Ministry’s aspirations, says Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon (pic).

The Deputy Education Minister said the school's move to limit sports to a certain race should not have happened in the first place.

“Under the National Education Blueprint, promoting unity is among the ministry’s aspirations and one of the ways to do so is through sports.

“Sports should unite, not divide, ” he said when contacted by The Star on Saturday (April 17).

Dr Mah struck the incident off as a “one-off case” and said the Johor Education Department has told the school to amend its document.

The school has since issued a new one without the race limitations, he added.

According to the initial document which has since gone viral, it was stated that football and sepak takraw are only open to Malay male students, netball is only open to Malay female students, while basketball and ping pong are only open to Chinese male and female students.

It also stated that only students staying in dormitories could participate in hockey while other sports like handball, chess, petanque, volleyball, bowling and badminton were open to all.