There was no disrespect to the Indian community, says PKR assemblyman in defence of Fadhlina

PKR's Batu Uban assemblyman A. Kumaresan has come to the defence of party Wanita head - Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek after she was alleged to have disrespected the Indian community for not speaking at a school function in Penang.

Kumaresan said this after Penang MIC chairman Datuk J. Dhinagaran took to social media to express his displeasure with Fadhlina for failing to observe an expected decorum at the event last Saturday.

She apparently declined to make a speech to mark the expansion of the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (T) Subramaniya Barathee, which was followed later with a tree-planting ceremony.

"Fadhlina visited the school to observe the expansion works. That is all. There is no need to politicise the issue here," said the two-term assemblyman.

Kumaresan said he was disappointed with the criticism raised by Dhinagaran because there was no urgency for the minister to deliver a speech, nor a protocol for it.

The objective of the event was to gauge the progress of the expansion works.

"Is giving a speech more important than receiving an allocation which the minister had pledged," asked Kumaresan

He is of the view that there is no need for a speech if it is just to generate political mileage because the important issue is getting an allocation.

"What is important is that the minister takes to the ground. It showcases that the ministers under the unity government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are working. They are not NATO (No Action Talk Only) leaders."

It was disclosed at the event that the ministry is allocating a special fund of RM100,000 to the school, Kumaresan disclosed.

"I am also taken aback how Dhinagaran, who was present, did not raise his disappointment with the minister over the issue of giving a speech."

The school's Parent-Teacher Association was delighted with the allocation and expressed their gratitude on Facebook.

In 2018, Kumaresan managed to raise RM300,000 for the school for its expansion and Fadhlina topped it up with another RM100,000.

"We should be grateful for this," he added.

Dhinagaran also claimed that a traditional Tamil song was initially disallowed by state education officials, but it was eventually performed. - The Vibes, February 6, 2024