Students at a school in Keningau, Sabah, have been prohibited from wearing the crucifix, which depicts Jesus Christ on the cross, purpotedly under Education Ministry regulations. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 1, 2014.Students in a school in Sabah have allegedly been prohibited from wearing a crucifix – a symbol sacred to Christians – unless they obtain permission from the school's disciplinary board, the Daily Express reported today.
According to the report, the regulation in Sekolah Menengah Ken Wah in Keningau comes under the Kebersihan Diri (personal hygiene) category, where among the rules explained that students are not allowed to wear jewellery and religious symbols.
A teacher from the school told the local daily that those who wanted to wear such symbols should get approval from the school, and if allowed, will be given a pass which they must carry with them.
The teacher said this was because they did not want students to abuse the privilege by wearing jewellery instead of religious symbols, and added that the ruling was in line with the Education Ministry guideline.
A concerned parent told the Daily Express that he came to know about the regulation after attending a briefing for parents of newly-enrolled students on November 7.
"Her explanation about make-up, jewellery and hair was normal for any school but I was taken aback when the teacher said that students are also not permitted to wear the crucifix without getting prior approval from the disciplinary board," the parent said, according to the daily.
Those who flout the regulation can be punished, which could include counseling and caning, on the palm or buttocks (for boys only).
The disciplinary board can also suspend the student from school for a period of one to two weeks, based on their discretion.
Additionally, the barred items would be seized, the parent reportedly said.
"What I am concerned about is why religious symbols are put under the personal cleanliness heading.
"Is the crucifix that Christians wear proudly to profess their belief considered dirty that Christian students are not allowed to wear them at school unless they get permission?" he said, according to the news report.
He also demanded that State Education director Datuk Jame Alip provide an explanation.
The parent also claimed that there was no law under the Education Act or anywhere else that provided for students to be punished for wearing religious symbols to school.
"The circular from the Director-General of the Education Ministry, he said, also gave no mention that students are prohibited from wearing their respective religious symbols in schools.
"So why is this school taking matters into its own hands?" the parent reportedly asked.
He urged Christian parents who sent their children to this particular school or even other schools with similar impositions not to sign the Aku Janji (I Pledge) letter until the schools remove the discriminatory restriction on religious symbols from its regulations.
- TMI
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