PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has chided the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government for effectively closing schools for the rest of the year without taking steps to mitigate its impact on canteen operators.
"I note that more than 10,000 canteen operators nationwide are affected by the decision to close schools until Dec 17. It is feared that this may force them into bankruptcy due to their inability to bear the burden of daily operating costs.
"The hasty decision made regardless of the fate of the canteen operators is disappointing," he said in a statement today.
"I demand clarification and immediate action from the government, especially from the education minister (Mohd Radzi Md Jidin) on this issue," Anwar added.
The Port Dickson MP also urged the government to consider aid grants and extending the service contracts of canteen operators.
"I advise the government to think and scrutinise every aspect before making a decision that will impact the people the most, especially in times of hardship," he said.
On Sunday, Radzi announced that all learning institutions under the Education Ministry will be closed for the rest of the year and only reopen on Jan 20.
This includes the states of Perlis, Pahang, Sarawak and Kelantan which are not affected by the conditional movement control order.
Former education minister Maszlee Malik had also called on the ministry to consider the impact of such a move on B40 families, pointing out that some 600,000 schoolchildren rely on the Supplementary Food Programme, which provides free food to children from poor families. - Mkini
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