'NGO's using '1Malaysia' must be responsible'

All non-governmental organisations (NGO) using the word '1Malaysia' must be responsible and have the skills and clear facts on any issue, to prevent tarnishing the government's image, said Umno Institute of Higher Education Bureau chairman Datuk Razali Ibrahim.

"The NGO leader must be able to answer any question raised as the people need the answer," he said during the launch of the Muar parliamentary constituency Perdana Gotong-royong and Siswa4U at Parit Raja, Jalan Temenggung Ahmad, here today.

Razali, who is Youth and Sports deputy minister, was commenting on the exchange between Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) law student Bawani KS and Suara Wanita 1Malaysia president Sharifah Zohra Jabeen, during a forum at UUM, Kedah on December 8 last year.

"Whatever the question and from wherever it comes, it must be answered carefully and with facts. The issue of free education raised by Bawani could have been answered well if Sharifah had all the facts," he said.

He said Sharifah should have answered Bawani's question as to why Malaysia was not providing free education as in Argentina, by explaining that Argentina had only 200,000 students while the figure was more than a million in Malaysia, which would cost way more than the RM10 billion she claimed was needed.