Ministry to act against school over anti-palm oil play

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 3 Jul 2019 4:19PM · 3 Comments

A performance by students of an international school in Kuala Lumpur last month is seen to carry an anti-palm oil message. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 3, 2019.

THE Education Ministry will take action against an international school in Kuala Lumpur over a student performance linking palm oil to deforestation.

Director-General of Education Dr Amin Senin, in a statement today, said the ministry has investigated the matter, and will take action against the school under the Education Act 1996 (Act 550).

This comes after Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok yesterday slammed the school’s anti-palm oil play.

She urged the school authorities to “come to our ministry and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council to understand the industry’s improvements and preservation efforts, and not to instil hate and anti-palm oil thoughts in Malaysian students”.

Amin said the Education Ministry’s probe found that the play was held last month.

“The involvement of students in propaganda activities is clearly against the national policy, and can smear the country’s good name.”

He said the ministry will issue a reminder to all international schools, to ensure there is no recurrence of such incidents.

“The ministry will not compromise when it comes to the indoctrination of propaganda at private educational institutions that can tarnish the country’s image.” – Bernama, July 3, 2019.

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Comments

  • This is so wrong . The Ministry and Palm Oil Council should take steps to provide their side of the story if they believe and can support that the school and kids have been misinformed but not curtail or sanction freedom of expression and thought. Truly disappointing

    Posted 6 years ago by Sivaneindiren Selvanandam · Reply

  • What was depicted in the play - something that is true or something that is a figment of imagination? If the play was based on facts, then those complaining about it must explain where, why and how it was misrepresenting facts. Truth is sometimes hard to face. We hear of so much destruction of the natural habitat of wildlife for the cultivation of oil palm. Is this not true?

    Talking of indoctrination, what about indoctrination of children (even primary school children) about KETUANAN, e.g. the "sensitivities" of fasting Muslim students must not be hurt so the non-Muslim students must hide and have thier meals in washrooms, etc. ??

    Could the school please publish the script of the play so that the public can judge for themselves.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply

  • Was the school allowed to produce the evidence it had based the play upon. Its freely available on the WWF website so it would be an easy matter. Is the school to be punished for allowing the truth to be spoken?

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply