Muslim parents want to yank out kids from MGS

Zaim Ibrahim Zaim Ibrahim Updated 4 years ago · Published on 1 Oct 2019 8:00PM · 11 Comments

Muslim parents at the Methodist Girls’ School are upset and uncomfortable over ‘Christian’ prayers allegedly recited at a school event recently. – Facebook pic, October 1, 2019.

UNTIL the alleged events of last week, prayers had never been recited at the Methodist Girls’ School (MGS), parents of pupils said.

It has put the Penang school under the spotlight with a police investigation pending and a warning from the director-general of education.

Some Muslim parents now said they plan to transfer their children out of SK (P) Methodist next year.

Citing discomfort with the “practice” of reciting “Christian” prayers in public, parents met outside the school today said this was the first time it had happened at an institution where Muslim pupils are the majority.

A parent, Juliana Abd Hamid, said she was present when the prayer was recited during an awards ceremony for pupils on September 27.

The 42-year-old mother said she and other Muslim parents present that day were caught by surprise as the itinerary for the ceremony did not list any prayer by any faith.

“The short prayer looked spontaneous. Suddenly a woman stepped up to the stage and said a ‘prayer for unity’,” said Juliana, who was picking up her child.

“I thought after that, an uztaz would go up on the stage to recite an Islamic prayer. But nothing happened. The woman’s prayer had elements of Christianisation.”

When asked what she meant by that, she could not explain what she meant by “Christianisation”.

“The years before this, there was no recitation of Christian prayers. The majority of pupils here are Muslims and I am worried if something like this continues,” Juliana said.

She said she had not thought about transferring out her child out from the school.

But a father when met today said he had decided to do so next year.

“I was also invited to the awards ceremony but I could not make it. But if I had been there, I would have scolded the school,” said the Muslim parent who declined to be named.

“I have also decided that I will be moving my child to another school because of this.”

The incident was made public after a police report was lodged by a local man, Muhsin Abdul Latheef, 35, last Friday.

He accused the school of attempting to proselytise to Muslim pupils there, and in his police report, said there were 347 Muslim pupils and only 161 non-Muslims. He also said there were 26 Muslim teachers and 14 non-Muslim teachers.

Penang’s northeastern district police said today they are calling up several individuals, including the school’s administrators, for questioning.

The school also received a warning from director-general Dr Amin Senin for breaching regulations on protocols for such events in mission schools, whereby Christian prayers should only be said by pupils and teachers of the faith during school events or assemblies.

The regulations in a 2016 circular are based on a directive in 1977 on how activities in mission schools should be conducted.

MGS was established by Christian missionaries from the Methodist denomination in 1891. Like other mission schools in the country, it was taken over by the government in the 1970s. Teachers are considered government servants whose appointments and deployments are determined by the Teachers’ Service Commission.

Attempts to get the school’s comments on last Friday’s incident have been unsuccessful.

The MGS board of governor’s chairman Kee Shaik Chern responded to a news portal saying the school authorities would not comment on the matter pending police investigations.

A non-Muslim parent when met outside the school today said MGS still had a few Christian elements but stressed that these were not aimed at proselytising to pupils.

“There are a few Christian elements but they’re not to spread Christianity to non-Christians. I guess it’s up to individual parents on whether they are comfortable with these things,” said the parent who declined to be named.

But a Muslim man who was picking up his grandchild after school today said the incident has sparked worry among parents.

“I wasn’t at the event but my grandchild told me about it last Friday. In parents’ WhatsApp groups, they are now talking about whether to move their kids out of the school.” – October 1, 2019.

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Comments

  • Its preposterous! The Malays are regressing by the day and going back to a Golden Age of ignorance, intolerance and isolation. I truly fear for Malaysia. The greatest threat to our country is not from outside but the Malays residing here!

    Posted 4 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • It's all in the mind of the person who sees and hears. If he sees his shadow and believes that it is Satan following him everywhere he goes, well, what to do? For many decades pre-war and post war until the 1970's, the parents of Malay Muslim children in missionary schools never had any problem. In fact they were full of praise for these schools because thier children received very good education and developed good character under the care of the Christian teachers. Now, if some parents feel they want to take thier childrfen out of this school, they should just go ahead and do so. After a few months in some other school(s) they can ask thier children how their new school compares with their old school.

    Posted 4 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply

  • It is definitely the parents right to choose the school they send their children to.

    Posted 4 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply

  • These Malays are inherently stupid. How can reciting a short prayer be an act of proselytization ! The Malay Muslims in Malaysia seems to be afraid of their shadow now. So therefore, when a doa is recited in the presence of non-muslims, is it proselytization ?

    Posted 4 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply

  • Muslim parents are free to educate their children in Sekolah Ugama. What's stopping them?

    Posted 4 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • Why so scared of recital?

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Lets see how Ministry of Education handles this...

    Posted 4 years ago by Lan Lan · Reply

  • We should all just religion at home where it belongs...Leave religion out of school. No christian prayers, doas or buddhist chants of any kind.

    Posted 4 years ago by Anonymous 1234 · Reply

  • Whats the big deal. Ok the school has been notified and has been warned. Get on with life. Why do something so drastic as to move your kids out of school and disrupt their studies and lose their friends.

    Posted 4 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • They are welcome to do so. It is time that all the Christian missions schools in the country consider becoming private schools so that they can be free of the shackles of racism that has become endemic in this country. Since the land and school buildings belong to the missions, it is only a question of the teaching staff. Having read Psalm 111, there is nothing remotely offensive there for Muslims to feel threatened or uncomfortable. The Psalm which has its origins in the Torah of Judaism only refers to the Lord being God and not to Jesus Christ. So why should Muslims be worried?

    Posted 4 years ago by Gerard Lourdesamy · Reply

  • Parents should enroll their kids in tahfiz schools instead.

    Posted 4 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply