KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today advised semi-private schools not to demand any fees from students, as schools are not allowed to be in operation owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ismail Sabri, who is also defence minister, said that this should boil down to business ethics.

"I do not know the aspect of the Education Ministry’s policy, but ethically, if services are not rendered, payment should not be required.

"As for the issue of semi-private schools, the schools are still closed. Surely the teachers in the schools are not teaching as well, so the operation cost of the schools is almost zero.

"They don’t pay the teachers, they don’t pay their other staff, so why then should parents whose children are not attending classes, be forced to pay fees, even if it is just half the amount?” Ismail Sabri said, adding that such issues should not have happened.

He was responding to a journalist who asked if private schools, which received government aid, can still ask parents to pay half the schools fees, despite not operating.

"As long as schools are closed, I hope no schools collect fees from students,” he added.