BARANG order (Item ordered): Activities that support humanitarian issues, such as peace-themed video screenings and poster painting competitions, recital of humanitarian poetry, and fundraising for Palestinians.
Barang sampai (item delivered): Activities involving a man wearing a bulletproof vest, a balaclava mask and a toy rifle while leading a group of teachers into an assembly.
On Thursday, the Education Ministry announced that it was implementing a Palestine Solidarity Week from Oct 29 to Nov 3, involving all educational institutions under the Education Ministry, including schools, vocational and matriculation colleges, and teacher training institutes nationwide.
Palestine Solidarity Week, the Education Ministry said, builds upon the foundation of pure values, emphasising respect, love, responsibility, and joy, which is taught in civic education at school.
Instead, what we got was viral videos of toy-gun totting teachers and students and children stamping on the Israel flag.
To be fair, the Palestine Solidarity Week only starts today, and the activities with “extremist” elements were held outside the Palestine Solidarity Week.
The Education Ministry was aware of public concern regarding the viral videos. It acknowledged that the activities in the viral videos did not follow the Ministry’s guidelines. It said any activities with “extremist” elements and the use of replica weapons, icons and symbols in a provocative and confrontational manner were “strictly prohibited”.
On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said such things “need to be controlled”. He said Putrajaya would now closely monitor all activities during the Solidarity With Palestine Week (Minggu Solidariti Palestin) in schools to ensure that these activities do not “go overboard”.
For me, I send my two kids to government schools in Selangor (a non-Green Wave state) for them to get an education. That’s all. I don’t want them to learn hatred towards certain people as if the world was black and white.
In my WhatsApp groups, dominated mainly by two bubbles - Pakatan Harapan voters and Sabahans – many are against the Solidarity With Palestine Week. Some say this was not the government they had voted in.
Their opposition to the Education Ministry’s initiative is reflected in an online petition – SAVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.
The petition states: “Keep International Conflicts, Religion, Politics & War away from School Children’s & Educational Institutions.” “Our schools and education institutions a neutral ground where emphasis is given to quality education premised on human rights and respected for diversity,” it said.
It is not only the general public against mixing education with a bloody international conflict. Some parties in Anwar’s unity government are against it.
The two states in Borneo have said that Solidarity With Palestine Week was not compulsory in their schools. The 31 MPs from Sarawak and 25 from Sabah are all in the unity government except for two – Beluran and Saratok, who are with Perikatan Nasional.
Overwhelming, they have politely said ‘No’ to the event as most Sabahans and Sarawakians are of the view, to quote DAP’s Luyang assemblyman and Sabah Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe: “The Ministry of Education and the government should keep all schools and educational institutions in Malaysia away from international political conflicts, religious disputes, and wars.”
“Students should attend school to acquire knowledge rather than being involved in adult protests worldwide. Young students should not be dragged into the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” Phoong said in a statement on Friday.
Unity government politicians and parties based in Peninsular Malaysia also oppose the Education Ministry’s initiative.
DAP, the biggest party in the Malaysia Madani government, urged the Education Ministry to take strict disciplinary action against those who organise the programme and prevent similar programs from happening again.
Three MPs and nine state assemblymen from PKR, Anwar’s party, urged the Education Ministry to review the decision to organise Palestine Solidarity Week.
Everything in Malaysia, it seems, revolves around politics, even that which concerns Palestine solidarity. Some believe the Malaysia Madani government was pandering to those who voted against it instead of those who did.
“The government wants the support of those who did not vote for them in GE15 (the 15th General Election in 2022). Their supporters might be unhappy with the direction their government is taking,” a political analyst said when a group of us discussed the disturbing viral videos.
“However, the government thinks they will still vote for it as they fear the other side.”
Some voters now think that what they ordered in GE15 differs from what they got.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
