Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (second from left) speaking to employees of the Bera Kemas office after a closed-door meeting with them on Sunday (Jan 23). - Photo: Bernama
BERA: Community Development Department (Kemas) employees and teachers must not neglect their real duties as educators although they are now allowed to be involved in politics, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The Prime Minister said the details on their permitted involvement in politics would be issued by the departments or agencies involved such as Kemas and would be referred for approval by the Rural Development Ministry before serving as a guideline for them.
"We have to wait for the details to see the extent of (political) involvement allowed... whether they can hold a post in a party, to attend political programmes and no action to be taken against them if they do so, unlike before.
"We are allowing this (political involvement) in respecting the democratic practice while the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has agreed to it. Although if allowed, it should not adversely affect their real duties,” he said.
Ismail Sabri said this at a news conference after attending a closed-door meeting with staff of Bera district Kemas at its office, here.
Ismail Sabri also said it would not take long for the details of the guidelines to be announced as teachers’ involvement in politics had existed before, but the practice was barred during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.
"Now, those concerned should look at the guidelines again and make some improvements as needed. This, we also leave to Kemas,” he added.
With political involvement now allowed, the prime minister said hopefully, it would prevent the incident in which some women leaders of a political party had to resign from their posts when disallowed from being involved in politics because of they were Kemas community developers.
On Saturday (Jan 22), after attending a closed-door meeting with the Kelantan Umno political bureau, Ismail Sabri announced at a news conference that political involvement was allowed for Kemas staff and teachers, resulting in the restriction circular rendered null and void. - Bernama
