Perak DAP leader whacks ‘thorn-in-flesh’ UMNO Youth head, MCA, MIC in brewers’ funding of Chinese schools’ controversy

 

BUNTONG state assemblywoman Thulsi Manogaran has hit out at MCA, PAS, MIC and UMNO Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh for their baseless attack on DAP in the polemic surrounding funding by beer companies to vernacular schools.

Describing such action as “embarrassing and irresponsible”, the DAP youth wing (DAPSY) legal adviser further chided the four as having manipulated the issue to gain political mileage “while displaying how low their integrity is”.

“That Akmal made comparison with the national football league (which bans sponsorship by entities linked to sin industries) shows his foolishness and low political maturity … this is a clear proof of his inability to grasp the real issue,” Thulsi pointed out in a statement accessible from the X platform.

“What we need to emphasise here is that schools should not accept donations from illegitimate sources.

“But again. these companies operate legally under the Malaysian law and so long as their contribution is not bound by any usage criteria, their contribution is deemed legal and cannot be questioned.”

The first-term state assemblywoman also took a swipe at MCA for “political hypocrisy” by pointing to the circular that prohibits any form of donations from alcohol and tobacco companies to government-funded schools.

“They were in government when this circular was issued but now they are trying to find scapegoats to cover up their failures,” argued Thulsi. “If MCA is really concerned about education, they should urge the Education Ministry to scrap such circular instead of finding fault with other parties.”

The daughter of former Teluk Intan MP M. Manogaran (2008-2013) also slammed both the MIC women’s and youth wings for their “inability to understand and deal with real educational issues”.

“MIC which has long lost the support of the people can only use cheap tactics to attack other parties as cover-up to their own weaknesses and failures in championing the people’s rights,” asserted Thulsi. “They are now no longer relevant and are unable to bring or fight for meaningful issues.”

The DAP women’s wing assistant organising secretary also lambasted PAS’ accusation that Heineken Malaysia ‘normalises’ alcohol in schools is a lie as a malicious attempt to create baseless controversy.

“For more than 30 years, Heineken Malaysia has contributed more than RM400 mil to Chinese schools. Henceforth, PAS’s opposition to such effort only shows it doesn’t care about the well-being of vernacular schools,” contended Thulsi.

“As usual, PAS with their hypocritical actions has distorted the facts to create racial tension for their political gain.” – Focus Malaysia