Parents up in arms against Sungai Buloh school

The shower room and changing room for students in the SK Seri Pristina in Sungai Buloh"There must be a better way of doing this. Even if it is the fasting month, there is no harm in allowing non-Muslim children from eating at the canteen."

This was the view of a parent, Mastura Abdullah Sani, 22, who expressed shock after learning that non-Muslim pupils of SK Seri Pristina in Sungai Buloh were ordered to have their meals in the school shower room.

Parents who turned up to collect their children from the school this evening were puzzled why the school authorities had resorted to such a measure.

There were also others who turned up at the school gates this evening just to see what was happening after word spread that non-Muslims pupils of the school were ordered to spend the recess, eating in the shower room.

"This is wrong," said another parent who wanted to be identified only as Zarimah.

"I know for a fact that earlier, the children were allowed to use the canteen, but suddenly the canteen was shut.

"They could have used one of the classrooms instead of the shower room," she said.

Several parents claimed that the canteen was out-of-bounds after the operator closed shop for the fasting month. The school authorities tied a red tape around the premises to stop children from using the place.

The case of schoolchildren dining in a shower room during recess would not have seen light if not for a concerned parent who did her own investigations.

The woman, who has a daughter studying there, was skeptical when told about this last Saturday by a school van driver.

The mother, identifying herself only as Guneswari, visited the school on Monday and what she saw shocked her.

"The non-Muslim students were put in the shower room, which is adjacent to the toilet.

"The doors to the shower room were closed, there was no ventilation. The smell from the toilet was so strong," she told The Malaysian Insider.

Incensed that her daughter was treated in a such a manner, Guneswari demanded an explanation from the school authorities. She met the school's afternoon supervisor.

But when there was no response forthcoming, Guneswari decided to expose what was going on in the school.

Her posting on Facebook has now gone viral. It has garnered more than 3,000 shares.

The clean empty canteen at SK Seri Pristina. The Malaysian Insider pic by Diyana, July 23, 2013.Guneswari also dismissed reports earlier today that the canteen was allegedly closed for renovations.

“You can see it on my Facebook page. There is nothing going on in the canteen," she said.

After the Facebook posting became viral, Education Ministry officials showed up at the school this afternoon where they inspected the shower room and canteen. They also spoke to the school administration.

Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan later said that they have ordered the school to stop asking the non-Muslims pupils to have their meals at the shower room.

A police report over the incident was also lodged at the Sungai Buloh police station this evening.