No regrets:Chan taking a fun wefie with her son Kang Kang before dropping him off at Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam preschool in Chaah, Segamat. — Photo from Chan
SEGAMAT: A Chinese mother enrolling her toddler in an Islamic preschool, a move that remains uncommon in Malaysia, has sparked widespread attention and debate on social media.
Chan Zhu Er, 31, said she enrolled her three-year-old son, Low Zi Kang, at a Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam in Chaah when she returned to her hometown in November to attend to personal matters.
“I brought my son along while my husband remained in Perak, so I needed temporary childcare support while I handled my commitments.
“Chaah is a small town with only a handful of preschools and most of them cater to children aged four and above.
“After asking around, only this place accepted my son. I also thought it would be good for him to mix with children from different backgrounds and learn Bahasa Malaysia at an early age.”
Chan began sharing short videos of her son’s preschool journey on social media to document his development.
Known affectionately as Kang Kang by his teachers and classmates, the boy is often filmed wearing the green uniform and headgear.
The posts quickly drew attention, garnering both praise and criticism.
“I didn’t expect this. I simply wanted to celebrate my son’s growth and multiculturalism,” Chan said, likening her decision to non-Chinese parents sending their children to Chinese vernacular schools.
She emphasised that her son was not taught religious lessons due to his age and the teachers were respectful of different religious backgrounds.
“Kang Kang can now count from one to 10 in Malay, sing Malay songs and understand simple words,” Chan said.
“He has turned from a shy boy to one who mingles well with his classmates, who wait at the school gate in the morning for him.”
Chan is grateful and appreciative of the teachers for their attentiveness and care.
She said she and her son would return to Perak next month for Chinese New Year, after which she begins a new teaching job at a kindergarten there in March.
She added that she believes in mutual respect and acceptance of different cultures and religions.
“I don’t regret sharing our experience, but I feel saddened by some of the negative criticism. I hope Malaysians of all races can respect personal choices and work towards a more harmonious and caring society,” she said.
