MASZLEE Malik has again chided the media for focusing on criticisms against the Education Ministry on discussions on the colour of school socks for next year.

The Education Minister asked why the media is bothered about socks when people are more concerned about the quality of education.

“If you media start sensationalising these petty things, you expect people won’t talk about it?

“Media should talk about more educative things,” he said after officiating the smart schools awards programme at Bukit Kiara today.

Earlier, Maszlee berated Utusan Malaysia and former prime minister Najib Razak for being quick to sensationalise “trivial matters”, while ignoring more important issues that the ministry was working on.

Through his Twitter account, @maszlee, he said: “When I say trivial things, after less than a minute, @UMonline sensationalises it, DS @Najib Razak is interested.”

Maszlee’s tweet was in reference to a report by Utusan Malaysia yesterday quoting the minister as saying he was in discussions with stakeholders to decide on the colour of school socks from next year.

Najib had poked fun at Maszlee on Facebook for being “far-sighted” in deciding on the colour of school socks.

“But when I talk about the importance of university hospitals, no one wants to pick it up?” added the minister in his tweet.

Bernama had yesterday reported Maszlee as saying talks are under way over coordination between public hospitals and university teaching hospitals to ensure there’s no overlap of duties and that teaching can continue unhindered.

Bumiputera Retailers’ Organisation vice-president Ameer Ali Mydin had asked the ministry to clarify whether primary and secondary school students would be allowed to wear black socks next year.

The ministry’s had also announced on Saturday that its black school shoes ruling would be postponed to 2021 after plans to implement it next year were met with resistance.

Yesterday’s news report by Utusan Malaysia was also picked up by other media outlets, and sparked harsh criticism from social media users who urged the minister not to focus on trivial matters. – October 16, 2018.