Mahdzir should quit over Umno-themed school event

Umno flags at school neither political nor unusual, minister says

Appum: Mahdzir Khalid, I just cannot fathom how a person like you can be a minister of education, an important portfolio which has far-reaching implications on all Malaysians.

If Umno has done wrong, then admit it and ensure that no such incidents will occur in future in our schools.

To defend and justify the mistake will create even more damage to Umno and the Education Ministry. If Merdeka is the issue, then all flags, including the national flag, should be displayed and Negaraku sung.

Why was the Umno flag displayed and Umno song sung instead? Merdeka does not belong to Umno alone and Umno does not have exclusive rights to our collective journey to independence.

When opposition members are not allowed to attend school functions, like the case involving CM Lim Guan Eng in Penang, what more Umno hanging its flags all over a primary school and making schoolchildren sing the party anthem?

Vgeorgemy: “Our country’s independence is the fruit of Umno’s struggles together with MCA and MIC. This could be seen when Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was the Umno president at the time, went to London to secure the country’s independence,” said Mahdzir.

Then why exclude MCA and MIC flags and their leaders from the celebrations?

Annonymous: What do you expect from an Umno minister who only promotes the interest of the Malays but not the interest of all races and the country, and only pursues a hideous divide-and-rule policy and promotes its supremacist and racist agenda against other Malaysians.

A banner with the words “Hidup Umno, Hidup Melayu. Dulu, Kini dan Selamanya” (Long Live Umno, Long Live Malays. Before, Now and Forever) appeared on stage. Only Malays to ‘hidup’ and succeed?

What about the other bumiputeras: the Kadazans, Ibans, Muruts, Dayaks and others?

Dont Just Talk: Mahdzir needs his head examined when he said that it is not unusual for Umno flags and songs to be featured at a school function. Since when did politics and party flags are brought into the school compound?

Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) must be very desperate for votes that it has now become a school culture to fly the party flag and sing the party song.

Ravinder: The Jalur Gemilang is for National Day celebrations, not the Umno flag. That primary school event was fully an Umno celebration and had nothing to do with National Day.

lr6: If the education minister has been quoted correctly, then he has put his foot in his mouth.

He should be familiar with the standing orders with regards to the involvement of political parties in schools – government representatives can come in their official capacity, but not as party members and promote party ideologies.

Ib: This minister should resign for allowing the schools to be used for political speeches. Why bother with the education blueprint unless it is for hoodwinking the public?

Extremism begins in the mind, and ends in violence

David Dass: At one time, communities were small and discipline was imposed by self-regulation. Unfortunately, there were times when the toughest and strongest ruled, not necessarily the good, kind and compassionate.

In England, the tyranny of kings ended with the Magna Carta and later with Oliver Cromwell and the setting up of Parliament. In the US, Abraham Lincoln redefined democracy as government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Professional police forces were established to maintain law and order. Vigilantism was outlawed. No one was allowed to take the law into one’s own hands.

Before independence, the British had to persuade the Chinese minority to trust the government, the police and the civil courts to justly mediate disputes. Prior to that, the secret societies looked after law and order.

So, the problem is not difficult to solve. There must be zero tolerance for violence. No one should be allowed to take the law into one’s own hands. Political parties should not tolerate or condone the use of violence to deal with political dissent.

Teach people to use the courts to settle their grievances. And the people must see the police force as their protectors, not as their oppressors. Let the wicked fear them. Not good people.

Anonymous 242641505703475: Extremism has no place in any society. Moderation is the key to harmony in any nation.

Violence 1 begets violence 2, violence 2 begets violence 3, violence 3 begets violence 4, and violence 4 begets violence 5.

Hence, the law enforcers must strictly nip violence in the bud before things get out of hand.

Of course, militants will be very happy because chaos is their game; mass destruction is their objective. Now, somebody brought crates of beer to Selangor State Secretariat building to create mischief.

If he does not drink beer, has he any right to stop others from drinking beer? If he does not eat pork, has he any right to stop others from eating pork?

I don’t like beer, but do I have any right to stop a person from drinking beer? Hindus treat cows as sacred and do not touch beef, but do they stop others from eating beef?

In this beloved nation of ours, respect the likes and dislikes of people. Let people be. This is a multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural nation; and let all people practise their own religions and celebrate their own festivals.

Desperate leaders use desperate measures to boost their standing among the people. We need leaders who believe in trust, integrity, honesty and the rule of law.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.