MORE than 30,000 people have signed up an online petition urging Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to take up the education portfolio after he relinquished it and named another MP to the post.

Dr Mahathir, who initially announced that he would assume the position of education minister, yesterday appointed Simpang Renggam MP Dr Maszlee Malik of Bersatu after meeting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The decision was made to abide by the Pakatan Harapan manifesto that states the prime minister and deputy prime minister should not hold double portfolios, especially the finance ministry.

“That is the position of the manifesto and I cannot break it at the moment although there is a demand that I should take education,” Dr Mahathir said yesterday.

The petition aims to garner 35,000 signatures. It highlighted Dr Mahathir’s initial remarks upon announcing himself as education minister that “many people were uneducated” and Malaysia’s way of teaching was outdated. 

“If you, like us, believe Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should be the education minister and will bring much needed reforms to the education system in this country, please do take a moment to sign this petition and share it among your friends and family,” the petition, started by Raveen Dev, stated. 

The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) also welcomed Dr Mahathir as the education minister, saying there are many problems plaguing the education system.

Dr Mahathir was the education minister from 1974 to 1978 before becoming the country’s fourth prime minister in 1981. – May 19, 2018.