The police did not order but merely advised SMK Pusat Bandar Puchong 1 to remove the Chinese New Year decorations, said Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching.
Teo (photo, centre) added that the police advice was meant to de-escalate the situation after Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) vice-president Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz wrote a letter to the school claiming that the decorations were contravening the Federal Constitution for having religious connotations.
"It was an advice from the police, but I believe after a full investigation we have upheld the principle that schools are for us to celebrate all festivals.
"After the investigation, the decorations were no longer deemed a threat to any religious or racial issues. The cabinet meeting also ensured that this is the government's stand," Teo said to reporters after visiting the school this evening.
Aside from Teo, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and six other cabinet ministers - Lim Guan Eng, Xavier Jayakumar, Saifuddin Abdullah, Syed Saddiq Syed Ibrahim, Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Gobind Singh Deo, also visited the school.
Earlier, Teo was also asked to explain the school's decision to remove the lanterns which were hung in the school vicinity.
She further explained that it was not an order, but merely an advice in the hope that it would not turn into a bigger issue.
Teo also confirmed that there have been no official complaints against two teachers from the school, who supposedly support Putra's stand.
"Until now, we have not received any complaints. If there are any complaints, we will look into it," she said.
This morning, a message which purportedly came from two teachers from the school went viral on social media, specifically among parents of the school's students.
The message, which was sighted by Malaysiakini, supposedly saw the two teachers uploading several messages on social media in support of Putra's statement that the decorations should be removed. - Mkini
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