KOTA SAMARAHAN: “What do the Pakatan Harapan (PH) ministers fear most about the presence of opposition representatives in schools?” Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief Datuk Idris Buang was commenting on an announcement by Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik that opposition Members of Parliament must obtain the approval of state education authorities before entering schools in their constituencies.
“This is discrimination that does not reflect democracy in this country. It also contradicts the principle of democracy,” said the Muara Tuang assemblyman in a statement yesterday. He questioned whether it was fair that only the PH elected representatives could now attend or hold events in schools.
“Don’t forget that the people who choose the opposition representatives are taxpayers, too,” he said. Idris added there were many dilapidated schools in Sarawak that required the help of opposition parties like Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS). “GPS and the Sarawak state government are always helping these schools.
“This is a direct instruction from the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg even though these duties and responsibilities are supposed to be under the federal government.” According to Idris, Mazlee should have been focusing on the problems of dilapidated schools such as in Sarawak and the lack of educators in the Mathematics, English, Bahasa Melayu and Science subjects.
