Yam Seng Govt Allows Breweries To Continue Donating To Vernacular Schools But There S A Hidden Time Bomb

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 After more than 48 hours of pulling hair on how to not offend both Muslims and non-Muslims without looking like a fool, the Education Ministry under the clueless and incompetent leadership of Fadhlina Sidek has decided to maintain the status quo. In short, it is business as usual – vernacular schools can continue to accept donations from beer companies, backtracking from its initial reaction.
 
Of course, in order not to lose face after Minister Fadhlina foolishly swallowed the hook, line and sinker set up by opposition PAS Islamist party, the ministry says the Cabinet has agreed to retain “existing guidelines”, which restricts against displaying elements linked to alcohol brands in school premises. This means the recent Tiger Beer’s contribution of RM3 million to build a hall for a Chinese school is valid and legal.
 
But the school charity event held on July 19 and took place at SJK(C) Tche Min in Sungai Pelek, Sepang, which was sponsored by Heineken Malaysia’s Tiger Beer, had been accused by extremist and racist PAS of normalising alcohol in schools due to Tiger’s participation. That had led the education ministry to hastily announce that it will seriously investigate the event.
 
The brewery company had displayed its Tiger logo during the charity for obvious reason, but not alcohol specifically. Is the Tiger logo a direct representation of alcohol brands? If it is, then Heineken and SJK(C) Tche Min might have committed an offence, and should face the music. However, the education ministry did not say anything about this matter – suggesting no violation had been committed.
 
Therefore, if both Tiger Beer and the Chinese school had committed no offence, as proven with zero action from the authorities and the ministry, it means the Tiger logo can be displayed. One can debate till the cow comes home whether the company’s logo is a breach against displaying elements linked to alcohol brands as there is “no direct sign” of beer or alcohol elements.
 
This is where the education ministry got extremely confused, pretending to be confused, or trying to confuse the people after shooting its own foot. If Fadhlina tries to dig her heels in the mud, and continues to weaponise the issue to project her boss – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – as a Muslim hero, it will certainly backfire, forcing DAP to retaliate or re-consider its position in the unity government.
 
As Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Anthony Loke confidently announced that he will consult the Cabinet to exclude Chinese schools, which depend heavily on public monetary donations to operate – from the half-baked and bias guidelines, it’s hard to imagine how PM Anwar would declare war with the Chinese community and willingly lose 40 DAP MPs in the Parliament.
 
Anwar’s party – PKR (People’s Justice Party) – has only 31 MPs whilst DAP has 40 in the 82-seat Pakatan Harapan, hence was forced to work with nemesis-turned-ally Barisan Nasional (30 MPs) to form a Unity Government after the Nov 2022 General Election that produced a hung parliament. Without DAP’s 40 seats, the government may collapse – even if it survives, Anwar government will be incredibly fragile.
 
It’s not rocket science that it is not worthwhile angering 95% Chinese voters just to show that Fadhlina, who got her job as the daughter of the late Dr Siddiq Fadzil, former president of ABIM (Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia) – the same platform which radical Islamist Anwar used to achieve his political ambition – was more Malay and more Muslim than PAS Islamist party.
 
Hilariously, the Cabinet also decided that while vernacular schools are allowed to continue receiving donations, it must be done through their school administration boards, as has been the practice during previous administrations. Of course, that was how the donations have been channelled since day one. Did the silly education ministry expect contractor Phua Chu Kang to receive the charity?
 
The third guideline which lends credence to the validity and acceptance of alcohol company such as Tiger Beer in donating to Chinese schools is that no Muslims must be involved in any activities featuring alcohol firms. In other words, the controversy only began after Parti Amanah Negara’s MP Aiman Athirah was present onstage at the fundraising event, holding a mock cheque that showed the Tiger Beer logo.
 
Essentially, the education ministry says it doesn’t care who donates to the Chinese schools as long as Malay-Muslims are not invited, which the Chinese community is more than happy to comply. From the beginning, the vernacular schools had nothing to do with Malays or Muslims. The minority race Chinese wanted to be left alone so that they can focus on providing quality education to their own community.
 
Clueless Fadhlina, who behaves more like PAS Education Minister than Unity Government Education Minister, could have easily tackled the trap set up by the radical and extremist Islamist party. Instead of blurting out suddenly and seen as an idiot, she could have kept her mouth shut and discussed behind closed doors with the prime minister and partners like DAP.
 
She could say everything was in compliance, as has been in practice for the last 30 years. Since the noble programme started in 1994, Tiger Beer has raised over RM413 million, benefiting 542 schools across Malaysia thus far. Carlsberg, on the other hand, has raised a whopping RM568 million since 1987, benefitting 684 Chinese schools. In total, both beer companies had raised RM981 million.
 
Because the dubious guidelines, which prohibit the acceptance of donations generated from activities such as gambling, as well as the sale of tobacco, drugs and alcohol, was introduced on March 29, 2018 during the previous Barisan Nasional government, even the MCA (Malaysia Chinese Association) would keep quiet. PAS will be unable to explain its own involvement in previous Tiger Beer donations.
 
Tiger Beer was doing the same charity even when PAS was part of the backdoor regime of Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri from March 2020 to November 2022. Why the Islamist party insists it’s an issue now, but not when it was in the government? Fadhlina, if she has an ounce of intelligence or sense, could challenge PAS to fund the vernacular schools if Tiger Beer is prohibited to do its social responsibility.
 
In addition, the donations to improve the infrastructure of the vernacular schools would also benefit Malay students studying there. Thus, the education ministry could turn the table and accuse the opposition of trying to destroy the Malays seeking education in the Chinese schools. That could change the narrative that PAS is not only anti-Chinese, but is both anti-Chinese and anti-Malays.
 
She could pass the ball back or attack PAS, but didn’t because she was too obsessed and blinded with Islamisation agenda. When opposition PAS say jump, she could only ask how high. The pathetic and useless education minister’s best achievement was radicalising schools with students carrying firearms, albeit toy guns, while wrapping Palestinian keffiyeh scarf around their heads like militants.
 
Still, there’s a small time-bomb. Chinese schools have been producing so many talents and instilling fabulous discipline that there are almost 100,000 Malay students enrolled in the Chinese schools – representing 20% of total student population in the same type of schools that PAS accused of being infected with alcohol. The welcoming of vernacular schools to Malay students is a double-edged sword.
 
Not only sacrifices and generosity have been made by the minority race Chinese to accommodate the Malay students now, leading to a lack of teaching staff and overcrowded classrooms, there could come a time when conservative Malays start demanding vernacular schools follow a set of new pro-Muslim guidelines to the extent the original values of such school are destroyed.
 
When the vernacular schools are being overwhelmed by Malays scrambled for quality education, the school administration boards and foundations could lose control to the extremists and radicals. If they could interfere now about who can or cannot donate to the schools based on race and religion, they could certainly interfere later on what syllabus can or cannot be taught.
 
- financetwitter

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