OUT-OF-CONTROL SYED SADDIQ NOW ATTACKS HIS ‘CHINESE & INDIAN BROTHERS’ – CALLS ANTI-KHAT GROUP ‘BODOH SOMBONG’ AFTER EPIC U-TURN ON ZAKIR NAIK: IS ‘BOY MINISTER’ WORKING OVERTIME TO STAY IN MAHATHIR’S FAVOR?

SYED Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has been given 48 hours to retract his “bodoh sombong” (proud and arrogant) remark against an anti-khat group.

The Seni Khat Action Team (Sekat) said it will sue the youth and sports minister if he fails to withdraw the comment, made on Twitter last night.  

“He should not have read only the title of the article published by a news portal. Instead, he should have read the full story before commenting.”

Yesterday, the group urged the ministry to postpone the teaching of Jawi, or the script on which khat calligraphy is based, to vernacular school pupils until there is a “clear” answer on the issue.

It said it wants a dialogue with the government, so that an amicable solution can be reached.

Arun said if Sekat’s demand is not met, it will convince parents to stop sending their children to school in protest.

Syed Saddiq responded by branding the group “bodoh sombong”.

“To prevent children from getting an education just because you are scared of three pages of Jawi, which isn’t even going to be tested in the exams, and is already made optional… You cannot get more ‘bodoh sombong’ than this.”

Arun challenged Syed Saddiq, a well-known debater, to spar over the khat controversy.

“Let’s have a debate. There will be no conditions for it.”

PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad, meanwhile, slammed Sekat’s idea of convincing parents to “boycott” schooling.

He said the group should not politicise education matters.

“Did they go to school? Why are they coming up with unreasonable ideas? They should encourage kids to attend, not skip, school.  

“Let us all be rational. Education is not for you to politicise. This is not helping the future generation. This is bringing them down.”

Jelebu Umno division chief Jalaludin Alias said it is unreasonable for Sekat to call on parents to stop sending their children to school over the khat issue.

Khat has nothing to do with race or religion, and is only an art form, he said.

“There is no reason for children to skip school. (The idea) is a blow to both kids and their parents.

“The teaching of khat will be optional… it is not compulsory.

“It has nothing to do with race or religion, so stop making it as such.”

– https://www.themalaysianinsight.com