Guan Eng blasts police advice for school to remove CNY decorations

Noel Achariam Noel Achariam Updated 4 years ago · Published on 8 Jan 2020 5:16PM · 6 Comments

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng questions why CNY decorations are being linked to religion. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, January 8, 2020.

CHINESE New Year decorations have nothing to do with religion, and so, there is no reason to bar them from being put up in schools, said Lim Guan Eng today.

The DAP secretary-general said police had no right to advise SMK Bandar Puchong 1 to remove such decorations following complaints by the pro-Malay Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra).

“I understand that the decorations were removed on the advice of police.

“Why are the CNY decorations being related to religion?

“I cannot accept such police action, to ask the school to bring them down,” he said after attending the Inland Revenue Board’s open day in Kuala Lumpur.

His comments come after complaints by Muslim parents and threats by Putra alleging that the decorations are an attempt to propagate a religion to students.

Lim, who is also finance minister, said there was previously no issue with schools putting up CNY decorations.

“CNY celebrations are not religious. It is just celebrating the new year.

“Even malls have CNY decorations, and there’s no issue.

“Don’t let this divide us by banning CNY decorations, especially when they are not related to religion.”

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo earlier today hit out at Putra vice-president and lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, who yesterday threatened to report SMK Bandar Puchong 1 for the “unconstitutional” decorations.

“We need to respect each other and celebrate events like these together. I don’t see anything wrong with the decorations at all. They are not religious in nature and are not in celebration of any religious event.”

Khairul Azam said Muslim parents had complained about the decorations.

“The complaints we’ve received show unease at the excessive CNY 2020 decorations in your school. Some parents say the school looks like a Chinese-owned market with religious elements on display (that are not Islamic).

“This is distressing for Muslim students and is also against Article 3(1) of the federal constitution,” he said in a letter sent to principal Rohani Mohd Nor and shared on his Twitter account.

Article 3(1) states that “Islam is the religion of the federation; but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the federation”. – January 8, 2020.

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Comments

  • Since when do festival decorations causes racial anxiety. Would the Police act the same for all celebrations in Malaysia. Police are going overboard and accommodating extremists. Is this country ruled by a democratically elected government of the minority of extremists. If police and other government institutions want to act only for the benefit of these extremists then there is no need for elections not even for a constitution. Malaysia is going backwards every day and seeming to head towards the dark ages.

    Posted 4 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

  • Thats the problem with our police. It has always been a one way traffic when it comes to racial issues. Each time the non-Malays or non-Muslim got to give in. What kind of nonsense is this?

    Posted 4 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • PUTRA leaders have limited brain cells but PDRM officers in Puchong have no guts. Make sure there is no Ramadan/Deepavali decoration in all schools in future. Cock decision by the police.

    Posted 4 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Some are simply ignorant of others culture. If they could link anything to religion, then that clearly says they are just religious bigots intolerant of others.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Oi IGP better walk the talk . You just said all parties shouldnt play up religious tensions. Investigate the Baruah lawyer for sedition.

    Posted 4 years ago by Kinetica Cho · Reply

  • What law did the school break for the police to move in? The police itself is responsible for the rise in racism and bigotry as it gives so much face to them. All they have to do is make a report about "sensitivities" or some non-issue "religious" matter and the police goes running to take action. The police is allowing itself to be controlled by the racists and bigots! Why?? Now, can the IGP please tell the public why it sort of takes orders from the bigots through the reports made by them??

    Posted 4 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply