Loke to brief Cabinet on beer companies' fundraisers for schools

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke will brief the Cabinet on Wednesday (July 24) regarding the fundraising activities by beer companies for the development of Chinese schools, which have recently been criticised by PAS.

Loke explained that breweries had been organising such fundraising programmes for about 30 years without any issues, but the matter was now being politicised by the Opposition.

"There have never been problems for the past 30 years, but the issue has recently been politicised by PAS.

"These programmes, including charity concerts, are usually held outside the schools, such as in restaurants, to raise funds for the development of such schools," he told reporters after launching the Motoring TVET programme at SMK Mantin near here.

Loke mentioned that he had attended a similar event last week where a brewery helped raise funds for a school.

"I think it is unfortunate that this is now being made an issue, as these companies are legal, incorporated in Malaysia and pay taxes.

"There are guidelines for advertising beer and other alcoholic beverages, but they are not encouraging alcohol consumption merely by helping in fundraising," he said.

Last Friday (July 19), Selangor PAS Youth chief Sukri Omar criticised a Deputy Minister for being present at a ceremony where a brewery helped raise RM3mil for the construction of a hall in a vernacular school.

Sukri said the participation of the beer company in the project was normalising alcohol in schools.

On Monday (July 22), the Education Ministry in a statement said educational institutions must adhere to existing guidelines on the organisation of programmes and the acceptance of donations.

It said these guidelines prohibit donations derived from gambling, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and similar activities that could negatively impact students' intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical development.

The ministry welcomed efforts by schools to organise programmes and seek donations for development purposes in line with the Community Owned School initiative but stressed these must be carried out in accordance with the guidelines issued in 2018.

Loke stated that although the ministry issued the guidelines in 2018, these fundraising initiatives involving beer companies had been carried out for the past three decades.

"It was never an issue before.

"We need to understand that such programmes have been carried out for many years and had never been a problem," he added.