Maszlee asked to retract ‘Islamic propaganda field’ statement
KUCHING: Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has been asked to retract his recent ‘make East Malaysia the Islamic propaganda field’ remarks.
Political secretary to the Chief Minister Suzanne Lee feared that his ‘extreme’ statement would put racial harmony in Sarawak at stake.
She said not only would such statement jeopardise the state’s racial harmony but it could also push Malaysia further away from attaining the status of a developed nation by 2020.
“Maszlee Malik seems to have the intent of politicising educationrelated issues, and what is the stance of ministers and elected representatives of Pakatan Harapan on this?
“Does their silence mean they condone the extreme gesture of the Education Minister?” she said in a recent statement.
Lee asserted that a federal education minister ought to focus on coming up with better education policies towards improved and transformed national education system with the ultimate aim of producing more capable and successful individuals for the country.
“It is obvious that Maszlee does not comprehend the role and obligation of a national leader. He has failed Malaysians who placed their hope on him.”
She said Maszlee should give priority to repair and upgrading of over a thousand dilapidated schools across Sarawak so as to provide students conducive learning environment.
She said it is inappropriate for Maszlee to set his focus on the Islamic agenda which would not do any good to social integration in our multi- cultural society, not to mention the potential risk of having racial and social harmony jeopardised.
She believed that Maszlee’s open statement about asking religious teachers from Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah to continue their Islamic propaganda in Sabah and Sarawak had made people in East Malaysia extremely unhappy.
“His attempt to make use of civil servants and teachers to carry out religious agenda in Sabah and Sarawak has infringed the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution that guarantee the autonomy and freedom of religion in Sarawak.”
She said it is unprofessional for Maszlee to have come up with such controversial and narrow-minded statement.