KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — The role and importance of the Malay royal institution should be introduced as a subject starting from pre-school, Mohamad Rizal Abdul Patah suggested at Umno’s general assembly today.
The Umno national students’ representative said the subject should be taught till tertiary level so Malaysian youths will understand and respect the royal institution.
“The act of several Opposition leaders and former statesmen insulting the sultan and the royal institution is an uncivilised act and should be curtailed so it should not influenced the young,” he said in his speech.
He was referring to former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, now under police scrutiny after the latter posted thinly-veiled remarks against the royal institution on Twitter earlier this week.
Earlier in his speech, Rizal also called for the set-up of a national off-campus housing rental scheme for university students.
According to Rizal, university students were financially burdened due to the high rental rates for off-campus housing, resulting in large numbers sharing a house at risk of their personal health and safety.
“Students who rent out of the campus usually share the house with 13 to 15 other people as they try to reduce the burden of paying the rent, which averages between RM1,000 and RM2,000, even reaching RM3,000.
“This is not a matter of comfort but a matter of security. Can you imagine if each student possesses two devices that needed to be charged? Not including home appliances, it could potentially overload the electricity grid in the house and lead to a fire,” he said.
Rizal suggested introducing a scheme where house owners renting the property to students will receive payment from the government to offset maintenance or refurbishment costs, but must not raise the rental charge.
