Don't be used by extremists, fanatics, Education Ministry told

A Penang-based activist has described the Education Ministry's warning to the Methodist Girls School as a "disrespect and a threat" to freedom of religion in this country.

Civil society activist K Sudhagaran Stanley (photo, above) urged the ministry to be careful in issuing statements about the alleged reciting of Christian prayer in the school.

Stanley said the ministry should not be used by extremist or fanatical Muslim groups to pursue their own agenda.

He said this in reference to reports that the Education Ministry had issued a stern warning to the Methodist Girls’ School in Penang for the alleged recitation of a Christian prayer during an awards ceremony in the school.

Stanley said Education director-general Amin Senin should learn to respect the rights and religion of others.

"Amin should issue a public apology for over-reacting on the matter," Stanley told Malaysiakini.

"I urge Education Minister Maszlee Malik to intervene and ensure his officers uphold the spirit of the new Malaysia," Stanley, who is also the coordinator for anti-graft watchdog C4 in Penang, added.

"These sorts of issues should not be happening under the new government," stressed the activist, who is also co-founder of a school for refugee children in Butterworth.

On Sunday, Amin (photo) said further disciplinary action is being considered against the school for contravening national education regulations, while the Bukit Aman police said they are probing the incident.

Amin said this after several anti-Pakatan Harapan activists in Penang lodged a police report against the school, also on Sunday, on the alleged Christian prayer recitation.

They claimed that the prayer was recited during an awards ceremony in the school and that it was an attempt to propagate Christianity among the students, including the Muslims.

However, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy lambasted the Education Ministry for practising double standards, saying it failed to probe "subtle preaching" in a school in Perlis despite a police report lodged against a Muslim preacher.

Stanley queried if there was anything wrong in reciting a Christian prayer during the awards ceremony.

"If reciting a Christian prayer is wrong, then reciting any Muslim prayer or doa is wrong too," he opined.

He noted that the school in question is a Christian school founded on Christian values.

'Missionary schools have contributed tremendously'

"Respect their boundaries. The said school and other missionary schools in this country have contributed tremendously to the education sector, even before Merdeka," Stanley said.

"Hundreds of thousands of successful people, including doctors, lawyers, engineers and politicians were created from such schools."

Stanley reminded the Education Ministry that it should pay attention to Islamic preachers who are targeting non-Muslim students.

He said the real problem is when Muslim preachers are allowed to come into schools to conduct "subtle preaching" to non-Muslim students under the pretext of motivational talk.

"This is the real issue and the concern of many parents.

"Our schools are being turned into propagating grounds and the aim of these people is to convert," Stanley claimed.

"This, we should object and prevent from taking place! I hope the Education DG will act on this." - Mkini