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| Malaysian Mission Schools News Archive Malaysiakini.com, Monday, December 3, 2007 Winding up on points relating to the ministry in the Supply Bill 2008 debate, Deputy Education Minister Noh Omar said there is no reason to take down crosses, as it is the tradition of mission schools to display these. He was replying Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) who asked if the government has any intention of removing religious icons. Lim (photo) was referring to a suggestion in the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday by Syed Hood Syed Edros (BN-Parit Sulong) and Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) that such items be removed. Their remarks are recorded in the Hansard - the record of parliamentary proceedings - a transcript of which has been widely circulated via email and blog-posts. Syed Hood said he believed that the school board in mission schools are partially administered by churches abroad, for example in the Vatican City in Italy. He said he was "ashamed and disappointed" that schools in an Islamic country like Malaysia are still under the control of churches and that they display icons like crosses and statues. Backing his views, Mohamad said some Malay parents had also expressed their concern to him that mission schools do not close for the Hari Raya holidays. He further urged the ministry to reveal the source of funding for such schools, as he believed that churches are among the sponsors. Lim later urged the ministry to correct the impression created by the two MPs and to rebuke them for their remarks. ‘Report them’ At a press conference, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz urged those offended by the remarks to lodge a police report against the parliamentarians involved. "The statements were made when no major issue was being debated. Anyone offended by their remarks can lodge a police report. They have a right to report them," he said. Saying that no action will be taken against the duo until a complaint is made, Nazri said: "The MPs are not above the law. A seditious statement made in Parliament will be published and once published, the public has the right to complain." He also assured that the Sedition Act applies to everyone and that the government will not condone any seditious statement by parliamentarians. "I am colour blind when it comes to this," he added. However, by convention, parliamentarians have immunity for remarks made in the House. Reference: |
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