School hall rentals won’t be affected by guidelines
The Cabinet’s decision that vernacular school fundraising events cannot display alcohol brand logos within school premises will not affect the schools’ ability to rent out their halls to outside groups.
SJKC Shang Wu board of directors chairman Datuk Lee Wing Kong said the school has never displayed beer company logos on its premises, so there is no issue regarding this matter.
“To date, no one has interfered with the school’s operations.
“The school hall can still be rented out for various events, and alcohol can be served. Everything proceeds as usual, without any problems,” he said, reported Kwong Wah Daily.
When outside groups rent the school hall for private events, those events are considered separate from school activities and have no direct connection to the school, said SJKC Keong Hoe headmaster Lim Wei Lun.
“For example, during the upcoming Hungry Ghost Festival, if an organisation rents the school hall to celebrate the festival, alcohol can be served because it is their private function, not a school event.
“The school merely rents out the hall and has no issues with this arrangement,” he said.
He also mentioned that the school had not received any instructions from the Education Ministry (MoE), so they would continue to rent out the school hall as usual.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is held during the seventh month of the Chinese calendar.
During the festival people would offer food and drink to wandering ghosts.
On July 22, MoE issued a reminder to educational institutions, emphasising the need to follow existing guidelines when organising events and accepting donations.
These guidelines prohibit vernacular school fundraising events from displaying alcohol brand logos on school premises.
This reminder came in the wake of a controversy sparked by a photo showing Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu at a school charity event sponsored by Tiger Beer.
On July 24, Seremban MP Anthony Loke raised the issue with the Cabinet, discussing the potential revision of guidelines that currently ban donations from tobacco and alcohol sales.
By July 26, MoE confirmed that vernacular schools are permitted to accept donations through their boards of directors and foundations.
However, the prohibition on displaying alcohol brand logos at fundraising events held within school premises remains in effect.