Maszlee ducks questions on ministry’s flip-flop

KLANG: Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik (pix) yesterday avoided media questions on his two recent controversial policyrelated announcements.

“No, no, today is only about the byelection,” he told reporters after attending a free health screening programme as part of Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Sungai Kandis campaign drive in Taman Sri Andalas with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yesterday.

Maszlee had recently flipflopped on his statement on funding for Chinese independent schools.

The minister had in a parliamentary written reply on July 25 claimed that the schools would not be given funding as they did not fall under the national education system, before claiming the next day that the ministry was in discussions with the Finance Ministry over the matter.

On a separate issue regarding the MyBrain15 scholarship programme for PhD students, Maszlee had last week announced that it would be put on hold due to the economic situation, which had upset many quarters, particularly students.

When asked to comment on the two issues, Maszlee merely said: “We will make an announcement soon.”

On the ongoing Sungai Kandis campaign, Maszlee urged voters to vote for PH’s candidate Zawawi Ahmad Mughni, claiming the Selangor government needed a religious figure of Zawawi’s stature in its administration. – by Amar Shah Mohsen