KOTA KINABALU, Saturday, 28 October 2023:
In response to the recent controversy surrounding the directive from the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MoE) to implement Palestine Solidarity Week in educational institutions, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) calls on the Federal Government to address several critical points that require immediate attention.
The MoE Circular:
Our primary concern is the need for clear and unambiguous confirmation from the Federal Minister of Education regarding the scope of the MoE circular. Specifically, has the term “seluruh negara” (entire country) stated in the second paragraph of the circular, been revised to “Malaya sahaja” (Peninsular Malaysia only)?
Inclusion of MA63 and Educational Priorities:
The controversy surrounding the introduction of the Palestine-Israel conflict into our education system underscores the need to reevaluate the content of the syllabus.
This raises the important question of why a directive on this incident far away from us has been introduced, but seemingly without a corresponding emphasis on topics like the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which is fundamental to our nation’s history and development.
Minister Datuk Phoong’s Statement:
Moving on, it is essential to clarify the role and authority of Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, who does not hold validity in the context of educational directives, because his portfolio is not education.
Obligation to Follow MoE’s Instruction:
It is noteworthy that Minister Phoong’s statement, as reported, suggests that schools in Malaya, including Penang, are obliged to follow the MoE’s instruction to conduct Palestine Solidarity Week.
We call for clarity on the extent of this obligation and the implications for schools in Peninsular Malaysia.
UPKO’s Stance:
The United Progressive Kinabalu Organizations (UPKO), a local component of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, has expressed concern about the circular, presumably because UPKO believes that the MoE circular is applicable to Sabah, which contrary to Minister Phoong’s assertion, the directive is not applicable to schools in Sabah.
These are the confusions that need immediate action by the federal authorities because the issue is distressing for the rakyat.
It is also extremely regrettable that the country is distracted by this issue instead of focusing on the dire economic problems facing the country and ordinary people.
Gee Tien Siong
Vice President of SAPP