UPKO saddened by cross incident at Sandakan school
INANAM:TheUnitedPasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) is saddened with the seemingly non-stop discriminating acts, especially towards those who are not Muslims in the country.
“It is sad. I am perplexed as to why some people are bent on creating animosity, and worst, doing so supposedly under the pretext of their religion. Stop it, please,” pleaded Upko information chief Albert Bingkasan.
He said we should all look at life as a half full glass rather than half empty, while toeing and respecting the Rukunegara as well as the Federal Constitution.
“We are all Malaysians, we are all for harmony, peace and progress. Our diversity had always been our pride, that which made us unique as a nation. Each one of us is duty bound to safeguard and enhance such,” he said.
Bingkasan was commenting on two recent incidences, namely a move by some teachers and parents to pressure the headmaster and board of governors of St Mary School, Labuk in Sandakan to remove a cross from the wall of a new school building and a speech by a senior teacher during the SK Ibrahim, Sungai Petani, Kedah school assembly for pupils who were not fasting to drink their urine.
“Early yesterday (Tuesday) morning, Upko received complaints about the Sandakan issue. I personally received a whatsApp text at about 10.49am,” he said, adding Upko acting president Datuk Madius Tangau was alerted about it much earlier.
The text which soon after went viral on social media was, “Pls pray for our mission school St Mary Labuk that headmaster & school board must stand firm. They received tension from the muslim teachers & parents asked them to put away the cross from the school new building. They will be hv a meeting this afternoon - school board parents teachers - pls intercede”.
Bingkasan said, “I communicated with a few people in Labuk and they verified the story,” adding Tangau spoke with Deputy Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap who in turn made a call to the state education director to adhere the Circular 1/2013 which clearly allowed for the continuation of the ethos and characteristics of mission schools.
Bingkasan said: “It was resolved thanks to Datuk Mary for her prompt action. The cross was not removed. But would not it be better if such incidents did not happen at all? Why are we so forgetful about the many and good government policies and circulars?
“For the Kedah incident, later they claimed the senior teacher was saying it in jest. Alright then, if so, what if the supposedly joke was meant for the Muslims? How would they take it? Laughing it out loud?
“I want to believe these are isolated cases. We should all chip in for the betterment of the country. Last Sunday for instance, I was in a Sunday worship where the priest prayed for peace and prosperity of our country. Amen to that.”