THE Education Ministry should ensure that learning institutions are friendly to pupils of all religious backgrounds to avert fears of Islamic proselytisation, said Dr Wong Chin Huat.

The Sunway University political scientist said that would allay suspicions of covert attempts to convert schoolchildren to Islam.

His statement comes amidst unhappiness over the teaching of Jawi in vernacular schools next year.

Chinese education group Dong Jiao Zong is leading the charge in opposing the move, which it said was a sign of creeping Islamisation.

Wong said schools should be empowered to decide whether they wished to implement the Jawi module.

He said that would be the democratic and pragmatic solution, and could cause more schools to be open to the idea of Jawi lessons for the pupils.

Wong said the vernacular school board (LPS) should be included in the decision-making process.

“Including LPS in the decision-making process will take the thunder away from the hardliners who currently hijack the entire Chinese education movement on a legitimate concern. Take away their excuse and their hardline stand will be abandoned by most Chinese who are reasonable and pragmatic,” he said.

He hoped that a middle ground which was supported by most Malaysians could be reached whereby the legitimate concerns of non-Muslim parents could be addressed without demonising or belittling Jawi.

“Moderates from all sectors should work together and strengthen each other to keep hardliners at bay,” he said.

A conference to be hosted yesterday by Chinese educationist group Dong Jiao Zong was called off at the eleventh hour after police obtained a court order to stop the event citing security and public order concerns. 

The Education Ministry was last week also charged with another attempt at Islamisation when it was leaked that it had granted permission for “dakwah”, or missionary programmes, to be held at the learning institutions, including teachers training institutes and selected private universities.

The ministry has denied this, saying that activities related to “dakwah”, which means “invitation to Islam”, would not involve non-Muslims or the vernacular schools.– December 29, 2019.