Friday, December 07, 2007

Burn them Crosses

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: [Some unrelated stuff first] Yang Di-Pertua, I would like to touch on a matter regarding the Ministry of Education, which are Christian missionary schools like Convent, La Salle, Methodist, and so forth. I was made to understand that the Board of Directors at these schools are partially administered by churches in foreign countries, for example in the Vatican City. I was also made to understand that the application to build a ’surau’ in some of these schools had to go through the approval of these Board of Directors whereby they are partially administered by the church. Therefore, it shames me that the school administrations are still controlled by the church. I was also made to understand that many Muslim parents send their kids to these schools, and that they have complained that sometimes, the school is started with church songs. I do not know if this is true, but what I discovered from these parents are the display of religious symbols. I feel disappointed that in an Islamic country, Malaysia, if I go to a convent school, the statue of St. Mary is displayed in the front of the school.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: [Stands up]

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Please proceed, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Yusof bin Yacob]: Yes, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: I am not shocked at all, Yang Berhormat for Parit Sulong. It’s not just a simple question. The question is, why has this happened? One. During the last Hari Raya, I was told by a father, when Aidilfitri was celebrated, these types of schools were not closed. Thank you.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Not only statues, but fellow Yang Berhormat, go and see for yourselves, Christian crosses are displayed in front of schools. I do not understand the Ministry of Education, did the officers not see that, or is it our policy to allow such a thing? Nevertheless, I, as a responsible person to my religion, race, and country, I state my views that these statues need to be demolished, these crosses need to be destroyed and church influences in these schools need to be stopped. Also, the funds that are collected at these schools. Do we have a report? If possible, the ministry should reveal the funds for these schools. I was made to understand that these schools are also sponsored by the church.



This
has, of course, been cleared up by our Prime Minister. Apparently, NO statues or crosses or what-nots will be abolished. But worth sharing, nontheless. I guess a temporary lapse of memory from the UMNO General Meeting when Pak Lah addressed on religious sensitivities.

3 comments:

Sam said...

WAIT WHAT??!?
Anyway...Missionary schools are owned by the church. The church funds us. The gov throws in a bit out of pity from time to time enough for...oh I dunno, a repaint on the fence and a new roof.

But when it comes to bigger stuff, missionary schs are declased as SMB. Sekolah Menengah Bantuan. Government would rather give some school grounds big enough to build a shopping complex on then give missionary schools a mere ONE MILLION to rebuild a century old building that is collapsing and been declared unfit for use.

If every single school can start later on Friday for obvious reasons, why can't Church owned Missionary schools have a cross on the walls?

If the muslims don't want to sing Christian songs, what are they doing, pray tell, in a Christian school when there are so many other schools around?! Actually no, Muslims dont sing Christian songs. Christian sit through their prayers, they exit the audi THEN we start singing. Maybe it's done differently in other schools?

SWT! What a...suggestion. Burn crosses indeed.

Andrew said...

'oh I dunno, a repaint on the fence and a new roof.'

Only St. Mary larh!

I remember reading or hearing some where that mission schools must keep up their performance otherwise the control of the school will be handed over to the government. Was it Wong who said that or what. Can't remember.

Big deal. If so, ask all those narrow minded huana go study inside the onion dome larh! Singing christian songs.. nothing wrong with it. For example, Amazing Grace. Its okay as long as you aren't praising god instead of Allah. That is, if they sing.

Eli James said...

Let's pray this will never happen. An unconsidered angle of this would be the number of leaders in Sarawak who are products of these cross displaying, song singing schools - our CM, Baya Dandot, etc etc.

They're not complaining, are they?