Schools must pay attention to racial unity - Halimah

KOTA TINGGI: The National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique wants school administration including principals and headmasters to pay attention to racial unity and avoid sowing the seeds of division among students.

She said this is because fostering the elements of unity among the people should start from an early age and in school.

“This is the basis of attitude formation to instil respect and acceptance between races, which is a very simple way to mould unity and harmony.

“I hope after this, principals and headmasters will pay attention to this matter (unity) and avoid sowing the seeds of disunity among students,” she told reporters after the Ihya Ramadan programme for the Kota Tinggi parliamentary constituency here, today.

She was asked to comment about a secondary school in the state which has gone viral on social media recently for setting race conditions on some co-curricular activities including sports for its students.

Halimah, who is also the Kota Tinggi Member of Parliament, said such an incident should not happen not only in sports but in clubs and associations as well.

“I hope this will not happen again,” she said.

At the same time, she said through the National Unity Policy and National Unity Blueprint 2021-2030 launched by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin recently, all ministries have been given the role and responsibility to promote unity in any field under the respective ministries.

Yesterday, Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin through a Facebook post said he was shocked and disappointed over the matter, and the ministry will take swift and appropriate actions against the school.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican has also criticised the school’s action, saying that it was inappropriate and backward.

-- BERNAMA