PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim has miscalculated the need for the Palestinian Solidarity Week programmes in schools, which look like could spiral out of control, former Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy said.

“Expressing solidarity with the cause of Palestinians is one thing, especially in the light of the planned genocide by the Israeli state. But calling the schoolchildren to express solidarity is another thing,” he said in a statement.

“Both Anwar and the Education Ministry are not in a position to control the events in some schools. How the events marking the solidarity week will metamorphose remains to be seen.

“Anwar started something for his political benefit but the whole episode might not be within the control of the Education Ministry under the lackadaisical minister and deputy minister.”

Ramasamy also slammed Anwar for using the Palestinian issue to drum up domestic political support among the Malays in the country.

“It looks like the Palestinian Solidarity Week might play into the hands of the opposition,” he said.

“Palestinian solidarity has no place in schools, especially among young children. It is nonsensical to say it is part of civic education.

“Can carrying toy guns to ‘prepare for war’ be considered as part of civic education?

“Anwar should put an end to this programme.”

Ramasamy said politicians should stop using and manipulating schoolchildren for their own political gain.

Earlier this week, the Education Ministry announced that it would launch the Palestine Solidarity Week from October 29 to November 3 in all schools under the ministry and teacher training institutes.

However, yesterday several video clips went viral on social media showing adults who appeared to be teachers wearing bulletproof vests, balaclavas and pointing toy rifles at students.

Images of similar events have gone viral on social media. One showed a school in Klang where children wore green bandanas with the words “Save Palestine” and carried toy guns.

This prompted a response from Anwar, who has said that the Palestine solidarity programmes in schools must be regulated.

The education minister had then issued a statement to said violent elements were prohibited during the Palestine Solidarity Week in schools

“The Education Ministry has taken note of the public’s concerns regarding a viral video on social media about a programme at a school that displayed elements of extremism,” the ministry said in a statement.

“This was organised outside the implementation period of the Palestine Solidarity Week and did not follow the guidelines set by the ministry.”

The ministry had also said it would not condone activities that portray extremism in the programmes.

“The use of replica weapons, icons and symbols that contain elements of provocation and confrontation is not allowed,” it said. – October 28, 2023.