Former education minister Maszlee Malik has called for the resignation of Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Aiman Athirah Sabu as Sepang MP as well as Amanah Women’s chief.
This came after Aiman attended a charity event organised by SJK(C) Tche Min in Sungai Pelek, Selangor - which courted controversy after Tiger Beer was found to be involved in supporting the event.
Maszlee (above), who is also a PKR central leadership council member, said Aiman’s involvement in the event was an embarrassment and had tarnished Amanah’s image.
“The meaning of Islam that is brought by Amanah has never meant for alcohol to be legalised at school events.
“If she (Aiman) has dignity and integrity, she will voluntarily resign as a parliamentarian and as the Amanah Women’s chief.
“It will be a lesson to other Amanah MPs to be more thorough, careful and to uphold the true principles of rahmah,” he said in a statement today.
The issue went viral after a photo of Aiman holding the mock cheque with Tiger Beer’s logo on it made its rounds on social media.
PAS heavily criticised her presence at the charity event.
Aiman has since apologised to those who may have felt slighted by her holding the mock cheque.
She has also lashed out at her detractors over her participation in the event, labelling them as “hypocrites”.
Guidelines retained
Yesterday, the Education Ministry announced that the government retained existing guidelines for school fundraisers that include a ban on any display and promotion of alcoholic beverages on school premises.
However, the government at the cabinet meeting this week also agreed to consider allowing vernacular schools to continue accepting donations through the schools’ administrative board, as practised in the past.
DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng then reminded Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek not to align herself with PAS and Umno Youth on the issue of Chinese education fundraising, emphasising that she is not “PAS’ education minister".
Maszlee came to Fadhlina’s defence, expressing disappointment over Lim's statement.
He asserted that what Fadhlina did was in line with the cabinet’s decision, the national education philosophy, the existing MOE circular and the Madani spirit, which is to promote a healthy lifestyle in education.
“Allowing alcohol companies to be promoted on a large scale in events involving schools is an act of opening the 'Pandora's box', to allow other unhealthy industries - such as tobacco, vape, gambling and night club entertainment - to be promoted in the education realm
"Lim does not need to look at the issue of alcohol promotion in events involving schools from a political, religious or racial point of view.
“It is related to health, wellbeing and also civic issues," Maszlee said. - Mkini
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