KUALA LUMPUR – The Education Ministry has urged all parties to cease the manipulation of issues concerning the organisation of school programmes and the distribution of donations.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek stated that the matter had been resolved and the ministry respects the cabinet’s decision to uphold existing guidelines, Bernama reported.
“This issue has been settled, and we fully support the cabinet’s decision to maintain the guidelines,” she said.
“I hope this matter will not be raised again to allow us to focus on more pressing educational development issues,” Fadhlina told reporters after launching the Fifa Football for Schools Programme and the Fifa Women’s Football Campaign at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tasek Permai here today.
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president, Datuk S. Sivasundaram, was also present at the event.
The controversy over school donations arose last month when Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Aiman Athirah Sabu attended a fundraising event at a Chinese school that received donations from an alcoholic beverage company.
In response, the ministry announced that the cabinet had agreed on July 26 to maintain the existing guidelines regarding the organisation of programmes and the channelling of school donations.
Among other provisions, the guidelines stipulate that fundraising activities for schools must not display or promote alcoholic beverages within school premises. – August 3, 2024