Chinese school in Sabah has ‘no crucifix’ ruling

Students who seek exemptions and are granted one would be issued a pass which they have to carry with them at all times.

KENINGAU: Christian students at a Chinese school in Keningau, Sekolah Menengah Ken Wah, risk caning, suspension and being sent for compulsory counselling if they are caught wearing the crucifix in class.

The rule, enforced under its Personal Cleanliness Regulations in line with guidelines given by the Ministry of Education in 2009, has caused an uproar among the students concerned and their parents alike.

However, students can seek exemptions from the guidelines from the Disciplinary Board of the school.

“Non-Muslim students, especially Christians, are required to obtain permission first from the school’s disciplinary board if they wish to wear the crucifix,” said a teacher who did not want to be named but conceded that the line between crucifix and wearing jewellery was very thin.

“The school does not want students to abuse this privilege by wearing jewellery to school under the guise of religious symbols.”

The teacher was commenting on a complaint by a group of parents who attended a briefing on the “no crucifix” regulations at the school recently and took the matter to local papers.

Students who seek exemptions and are granted one would be issued a pass which they have to carry with them at all times. The pass grants them approval to wear religious symbols including those which may be mistaken as jewellery.

“The explanation about make-up, jewellery and hair was normal for any school but we were taken aback when told that students are also not permitted to wear the crucifix without getting prior approval from the disciplinary board,” one parent was quoted as saying in local papers.

There is no religion in Sabah and Sarawak, Christian majority states where the population is Orang Asal by and large, under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Sekolah Menengah Ken Wah principal, Chong Nyuk Chin, said in a media update that he will lodge a police report over local newspaper reports on the alleged “no crucifix” ruling at his school.

“As a government servant, I am not authorised to make any comments,” he said. “I will refer the matter to the Education director.”

“But I will lodge a police report as I believe this is serious.”

Chong, who admitted that he was caught off guard, had no idea how the story surfaced and who the source was for the media reports. He claimed that he was alerted by a friend.