BERSIH is wrong if it means that all politicians should be allowed in schools.

All politicians should be barred from schools, even if they are holding positions like menteri besar or even the prime minister.

Children under 18, i.e.  those who have not reached the proposed new voting age, should not be spoken to in schools by any politician, even if they are in the government.   

This should be considered a violation of children’s rights to be free of any political influence, under whatever guise.

Even special occasions of the schools, like sports days and prize giving days, should not see any politicians in schools.

All politicians must be made persona-non-grata in schools.

School children should never be allowed to see politicians as “special” people who must be held in such high regard even at the expense of their lessons.

How much of time is wasted by teachers and pupils in welcoming politicians to their schools.

Bersih must get its act together. Why does it even think that it is all right for  government politicians to be allowed in schools, and hence fight for the opposition politicians to be given the same right? 

Leave children in schools alone, free from contact with any politicians, under whatever excuses and guises.

They are not politicians’ pawns.

Bersih should fight for a law that politicians and business people must not be allowed into schools to have any direct contact with pupils and teachers.

Schools need to be made schools in the real sense again.

They are not the politicians’ nurseries for the sowing of any kind of thoughts and feelings in children about themselves and their parties.  

Bersih, please do the right thing, i.e. bersihkan (cleanse) the schools of all politicians and let schools be places for learning and nothing else. – November 20, 2018.

* Ravinder Singh reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.