Akmal comes to Fadhlina’s defence after Guan Eng attack

 

Umno Youth leader Dr Akmal Saleh said education minister Fadhlina Sidek was upholding the law as a Malay-Muslim minister. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has defended education minister Fadhlina Sidek after she faced criticism from DAP’s Lim Guan Eng in a controversy over a beer company’s contribution to a Chinese school’s fundraising efforts.

Akmal said Lim should not be rude. He said the government’s policy to ban such contributions was to protect racial and religious sensitivities.

He said: 

Fadhlina was speaking in her capacity as a minister upholding the law, and one that was made as a Malay-Muslim minister. My advice to you, please don’t be rude,

 he said in a Facebook post.

I want to remind Lim and DAP that this is an Islamic country and Islam is the religion of the federation and the majority of its people are Malay Muslims,

 he said.

Earlier today, Lim took Fadhlina to task, saying she should be a minister under the unity government and should not listen to PAS.

PAS took issue with an event where a deputy minister was seen posing together with a mock cheque for RM3 million from a brewery at a Chinese school’s fundraising event in Selangor.

The education ministry said schools cannot accept donations generated from activities such as gambling, as well as the sale of tobacco, drugs and alcohol.

Fadhlina later said the ministry would not review or grant exemptions for the guidelines on donations given to schools, including for vernacular schools. - FMT