AFTER a federal minister went to a primary school and encouraged teachers to join Umno, DAP said it has no need to do such things.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who was recently shut out of a Chinese primary school twice when he wanted to visit as Penang chief minister, said leaders should be visiting schools to see how they were doing and whether they need aid.

“We should be talking about improving schools and their conditions for the good of the pupils, not talk politics.

“Whoever wants to join political parties, let it be on their own volition. We have confidence that DAP is attractive enough on its own merits for the people to join because they want to, without us urging them or brainwashing them to do so.

“We can stand on our own record and achievements, to show people that we deserve their support,” he said in a press conference in Komtar today.

Earlier this week, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor visited a primary school in Putrajaya, where he reportedly invited teachers to join Umno and contest for party positions.

There was also a video clip showing him inspecting the school, while pupils waved Umno flags, sang the party anthem and shouted party slogans, such as “long live Umno”.

At the same event, he also handed out prizes for a competition called “Umno and Independence”.

Chief Secretary to the Government Ali Hamsa said he had no issues if teachers, who are also civil servants, joined Umno.

Lim said the Education Ministry should explain how primary school children were allowed to be used as political campaigners and activists.

“They did things like this in Nazi Germany. They do it in North Korea. This is wrong. Schools cannot be used to brainwash pupils with dirty ideology like Umno’s political ideology.

“Schools are where children get education. They are not indoctrination camps,” he said.

Lim was barred from entering a Chinese primary school in Sungai Lembu, Penanti to present funds in late August and then told the following month that permission must be granted by the education minister before any chief minister or menteri besar could visit schools.

Deputy Education Minister Chong Sin Woon reportedly said last month that Lim should know why he faced problems entering schools, accusing him of using school events to criticise the federal government. – October 6, 2017.