KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng today urged political leaders and groups to end their “preaching” at non-Muslim parents about how to fund the vernacular schools educating their children.
In a statement today, he specifically named former education minister Mazlee Malik, Umno Youth chief Muhammad Akmal Salleh, and Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for their patronising tone.
Lim highlighted the issue of Tiger and Carlsberg sponsoring fundraising activities for vernacular schools, a practice that has been in place for over 30 years.
“Non-Muslim parents take umbrage at being ‘lectured’ on what is healthy practice in bringing up their own children,” he said, emphasising that these parents are aware of the need to distance their children from alcohol.
He said that without charity efforts and public donations, vernacular schools would remain in a dilapidated condition, affecting the health, safety and well-being of the children.
Lim also said that many parents believe there would be no need for brewery company donations if the federal government provided sufficient funds for vernacular schools.
There exists a strong cultural divide, almost a clash of values, between proponents and opponents of the involvement of brewery companies, namely Tiger and Carlsberg, in sponsoring or fundraising activities for vernacular schools,” Lim noted.
He stated that opponents often rely on moralistic reasons to object to these sponsorships, ignoring the lack of development funds for vernacular schools.
“Opponents claim that there is no political motive based on racial or religious lines,” he added, asserting that they mask their objections by citing the harmful impact of brewery advertisements.
Lim clarified that brewery companies do not sell beer in Chinese or vernacular schools, and no students have been caught drinking or being drunk as alleged by Sanusi.
The Bagan MP also called for full public funding of vernacular schools so they would not need to rely on brewery companies for sponsorship.
He said that Tiger and Carlsberg have collectively raised RM981 million since 1987 for vernacular schools, which is critical due to the shortfall in development funding by the Education Ministry.
“In the 2022 Budget, RM120 million was allocated for vernacular schools (SJKCs and SJKTs), but they received only RM110 million,” Lim said, pointing out the inadequacy of the funds.
“It is ironic that those condemning vernacular schools for allowing brewery companies to be involved in sponsoring fundraising for them, do not press the Education Ministry to make up for the difference from such sponsorship by brewery companies. Why the double-standard?
He said that non-Muslim parents do not fear their children being influenced by brewery companies as much as they fear for the survival of these schools without necessary funds.
“For the last 37 years, non-Muslim parents accepted this arrangement without allowing their children to be influenced by them,” Lim stated, noting that no parent has complained about their children being influenced to drink beer.
Lim urged those politicising the issue to understand how vernacular schools have been forced to seek public funds for the last 70 years.
He called on opponents to stop preaching and instead come up with the necessary funds to support the schools.
Chinese school have received funding from companies, including breweries, for decades — but the issue came under spotlight due to a recent charity event in the Sepang school attended by Sepang MP and deputy minister Aiman Athirah Sabu.
At a fund-raising dinner on July 14, Aiman was pictured with a mock cheque bearing the logo of Tiger Beer, one of the country’s biggest beer brand.
The move was then criticised by Islamist party PAS for allegedly “normalising” alcohol consumption.
Aiman responded, calling PAS leaders “hypocrites” for their double standards during political campaigns.
