LGE trains his guns at PKR’s Maszlee, Umno’s Akmal, Kedah MB Sanusi over Tiger row
DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng trained his guns at former education minister Maszlee Malik, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for patronizing and preaching to non Muslim parents on how to parent their children without understanding the underlying issue of alcoholic beverage companies sponsoring fund raising for Chinese schools.
“Non-Muslim parents take umbrage at being “lectured” at what is healthy practice in bringing up their own children within the Chinese and vernacular education system.
“These parents are well aware of the necessity of distancing their children from alcohol. However they see nothing wrong in brewery companies involved in sponsoring the raising of funds for Chinese schools as a matter of survival.”
All three individuals had taken a Muslim approach in berating non-Muslim parents who sent their children to Chinese vernacular schools.
“Opponents who know nothing about the lack of development funds for Chinese schools rely on a moralistic rationale to object to brewery companies’ direct or indirect involvement in raising funds for these schools.
“Opponents claim that there is no political motive based on racial or religious lines. They try to mask their shrill condemnation of brewery companies’ involvement by citing any advertisements portraying the symbol of Tiger and Carlsberg as harmful to the education and health of the students.
“The fact is that brewery companies do not sell beer in the Chinese or vernacular schools. No student has been caught drinking or being drunk in the Chinese schools as alleged by Sanusi.”
Lim pointed out that Tiger Beer and Carlsberg have helped raise RM981 million since 1987 due to the shortage in development funding from the Education Ministry.
“For instance in the 2022 Budget alone, RM 120 million was allocated for vernacular schools(SJKC and SJKT). This is grossly insufficient. In the end, vernacular schools were not given RM 120 million as promised but RM 110 million.
“It is ironic that those condemning vernacular schools for allowing brewery companies to be involved in sponsoring fundraising for them, do not press the Education Ministry to make up for the difference from such sponsorship by brewery companies. Why the double-standard?
Lim said that non Muslim parents cannot reject funds simply based on morality because the continuity of the Chinese and Tamil schools were vital.
“That is the reason why for the last 37 years, non-Muslim parents chose to accept this arrangement of sponsorship by brewery companies without allowing their children to be influenced by them. This arrangement has worked so far when not one parent in Chinese or vernacular schools have complained of their children being influenced by the brewery companies into drinking beer or are drunk.
Put forth the funds
Lim also blasted Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s political secretary Atiqah Syairah Shaharuddin who claimed that even the federal opposition party, Pas accepted the government decision.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. PAS continues to object to the Cabinet decision even though this involves Chinese schools and not Muslims. (When PAS was in power in 2020-2022, PAS did not object to brewery companies raising funds for vernacular schools)
Lim also echoed the sentiments of non-Muslim parents over this issue.
“Non-Muslim parents do not want to see this matter politicised by those who do not know how Chinese schools are forced to operate to seek public funds to survive for the last 70 years.
“In other words, non-Muslim parents do not fear for their children in Chinese or vernacular schools being influenced by brewery companies as much as they fear more for the survival of these schools without much needed development funds.
He also dared the detractors to put forth the due funds instead of telling vernacular schools to cut ties with the breweries that fund raise for schools.
“This is the prevailing sentiment amongst non-Muslims. Can those objecting to the Cabinet decision and want Chinese or vernacular schools to cease all involvement with brewery companies to stop their preaching and just come up with the money?”