Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof
KUCHING: Petra Jaya Member of Parliament Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof said that Sarawak members of parliament respect the decision made by Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik that opposition representatives must get approval from state education authorities before they are allowed to visit schools.
“That is his jurisdiction as Education Minister but we hope that the new government that promised there would be no discrimination for all, including the opposition, will reconsider that decision,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Fadillah, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice president, said all the while, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) never brought politics to schools especially among students, pointing out that GPS representatives attend events or programmes organised in schools when they are invited to do so, apart from giving funds to the schools.
“All this time, we have been helping schools, teachers, students and the parent-teacher associations (PTAs) in Sarawak, who are in need of assistance.
“For me, as the people’s representative, I will continue to have good relations and cooperation with the schools and the PTAs in my constituency, so that the schools will continue to produce educated, skilled, innovative and talented (people) for the future generations,” he added.
The MP said this in response to the announcement by Maszlee when winding-up his ministerial speech at the Dewan Rakyat recently, in which he said opposition MPs must first get approval from state education authorities before they are allowed to visit schools.
The minister had said this was based on a circular issued by the Ministry of Education and to prevent the opposition from spreading hatred and lies about the new government to students.