The atrocities committed by Israel against the helpless population in Gaza have attracted a slew of global sympathies all over the world. Malaysia is not an exception. Hence, the Education Ministry in Malaysia had recommended schools in Malaysia to commemorate Palestine Solidarity Week.
In holding programmes during Palestine Solidarity Week, there was a school in Malaysia which decided to go the extra mile by allowing school children to hold toy guns, with their faces covered using a black and white shawl synonymous with the Palestinian struggle.
Such showmanship by those school children had solicited comments from many parties including from a minister in the Madani government. The minister then posted, on his social media, inter alia, these words - “schools are not the place for conflict, extremist ideologies, and violence”.
Some opposition MPs such as PAS’ Ahmad Fadhli Shaari of Pasir Mas, took great exception to such a fair remark. The PAS MP decided to defend teachers and students who used such toy guns in showing their solidarity with Palestinians.
He was of the view that the use of toy guns was not tantamount to promoting violence or extremist ideology. Promoting peace? On the contrary, he maintained that such an action was just one way for students to be educated on the Palestinian struggle against Israel.
Truth be told, I found his reasoning was too flawed and myopic. I was alarmed by his naivety too.
Erroneous impression of Islam
In response to public outcry over the issue, the Education Ministry finally issued a guideline for schools to hold programmes during the Palestine Solidarity Week, including a ban on toy guns or weapons.
Whilst it was good to hold a programme to show our solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, the act of schoolchildren being draped in scarves mimicking Hamas fighters and brandishing toy guns, with due respect, seemed to be counterproductive.
Apparently, the relevant school seemed to have gone overboard. Needless to say, the image of schoolchildren being draped in scarves mimicking Palestinian fighters and brandishing toy guns may drive home an inappropriate message and erroneous impression of Islam.
Or worse still, it may only reinforce any preconceived idea that Islam is akin to violence though Islam itself carries the meaning of peace.
In showing our sympathy and solidarity to our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza there are certainly a plethora of alternative ways for us to show our solidarity via peaceful messages and images.
With regard to the suggestion by the DAP minister for the relevant authority to take disciplinary action against the implicated school, I don’t think it would be necessary.
Apparently, the ministry’s guidelines spelling out dos and don’ts only came into the picture after the public outcry. Therefore, the benefit of the doubt ought to be given to the relevant school.
To conclude, there is no need to dogmatically emulate the Palestinian fighters in their outward appearance. After all, the Palestinian fighters may have their own cogent reasons and justification for draping in scarves or shawls and holding real guns. - Mkini
MOHAMED HANIPA MAIDIN is a former minister of law in Malaysia as well as a former member of Parliament. He was also a practising lawyer for almost 25 years.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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