Hand-clapping exercise not MOE directive - Kamalanathan

The Education Ministry (MOE) has not issued any directive to teachers and students in Terengganu to undergo hand-clapping exercises, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk P.Kamalanathan.

"The Ministry of Education did not issue any directive (to practise hand-clapping) as it is not necessary. In my view it was personal directive from the state education director.

"Clapping hands is a personal right of an individual present in a function, and this issue should not be exaggerated," he told reporters after launching the new logo for 'Dengue Patrol 2016', at SK Seksyen 7 here, today.

Also present were Deputy Director General of Health (Public Health), Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman, and managing director of Sanofi Pasteur Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Baptiste de Clarens.

Kamalanathan was commenting on a video footage spread on social media, which showed teachers and students at a school in Terengganu, practising hand-clapping.

It was claimed that Terengganu Education director had issued a directive via WhatsApp, requesting all teachers and students to practise hand-clapping for five minutes.

Meanwhile, commenting on Dengue Patrol 2016, Kamalanathan said the programme was an initiative of Sanofi Pasteur, a multinational pharmaceutical company, to empower students to play a more proactive role in preventing the spread of dengue.

He said students could prove to be big change agents in the government's efforts to eradicate the disease.

According to Kamalanathan, with the early exposure towards the dangers of the disease and how to prevent it, students could share the knowledge with their families and the surrounding community.

"The duty to eradicate this serious epidemic does not rest on the shoulders of the government alone, all parties such as families, communities, NGOs and private companies should play their respective roles," he said.