SEPT 18 — Who is Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh trying to fool by his declaration that the controversy surrounding the SK Seri Pristana toilet-canteen issue was due to outside interference?

The staging of the buka-puasa drama in the said toilet-canteen to show the world that if teachers and members of the PTA could have a buka-puasa function in that place, it was certainly a place that was more than suitable for children to also have their meals there, is damning evidence that putting the non-Muslim children there was a pre-planned, deliberate act.

The drama was meant to prove, by pulling wool over people’s eyes, that there was nothing wrong with the school’s action of making the non-Muslim students have their meals in that place.

If the minister is to be believed, then why was the buka-puasa drama staged? People should have been told at the outset that outside interference had created the issue. Was there outside influence, interference or even pressure on the school to hide away the non-Muslim children in this manner during the fasting month?

The Ministry’s strong, continuous defense of the school’s action could lead the pubic to believe that the school’s action had been tacitly pre-approved by the Ministry. If this is not so, then it behoves the Ministry to tell the headmaster in no uncertain terms that he owes the parents and the public an apology for the disgraceful thing that was done during the holy month of Ramadan.

It was not only an act insensitive to all, including the God-fearing Muslims, but also an irreligious act.

In comparison, the principal of SMK Alam Megah, Yati Dani, apologised for her outburst that the unruly children should go back to China and India. She was able to do it because her outburst was not pre-planned. It was spontaneous, on the spur of the moment.

Although the quality of the apology was degraded by her saying that she had also asked the Malay children to go back to Indonesia, which was an afterthought, but still she brought herself to say “sorry”.

Why is it so choking for the headmaster of SK Seri Pristana to say “sorry” if what he did was not pre-planned, and perhaps tacitly approved, by his superiors? Or is it the “Ketuanan Melayu” factor that is making it impossible for the headmaster to say “sorry”?

The Ministry has totally evaded telling Malaysians whether it would take the same defensive line of action if a non-Muslim headmaster were to treat Muslim children the same way that the non-Muslim children in Seri Pristana were treated. There cannot be different standards for different schools and headmasters of different ethnic backgrounds.  

Up till today not a single photograph has been produced to show the renovation works that were supposed to be taking place since March. If the renovation story is true, then photographs must exist as the contractor and the JKR would have taken pictures showing the progress of work.

It has been claimed that the RM10,000.,00 on the spot donation made by Kamalanathan has been used to extend the canteen.  Please show us photos of this extension.  

The JKR has been mum on the size of the canteen and the so-called renovation works. Not surprising, as government servants have to be “saya yang menurut perintah” and not say anything contrary to what the political masters have said.

The antics of the authorities in trying to show that the school was right in what it did are a disgrace. If anything, these antics go to show that the Ministry of Education supports religious and racial bigotry in schools. So much for 1Malaysia through our schools.

Despite all the efforts that have gone into defending the indefensible, I believe Malaysians will still be magnanimous enough to forgive if only the Ministry could make the headmaster apologies, or if he refuses, remove him for insubordination.

Ravinder Singh

Batu Maung, Penang.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.