School donations from breweries should be phased out, says academic

THE old practice of accepting school donations from questionable sources must not be continued as it would send the wrong message to students, an academic said.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Dr Anuar Ahmad told The Vibes the old practice of receiving funds from brewery companies must not be stopped immediately.

He said the issue became a hot topic not because of any religion but due to the nature of the company’s business.

“There are many government linked companies that are contributing to our schools, be it government schools, vernacular schools.”

“This has been our practice for a long time. And the issue that happened recently we know that the practice of accepting donations from breweries has also been practised for some time.”

“But this has to stop. The government in 2018 has come up with a clear guideline and this should have not happened in the first place.”

“Schools and parent and teacher associations must together respect the order from the government and we must not normalise the practice.”

“If we do this, we are sending the wrong message. It is not about any religion but this is about what has been ordered by the government. If we can agree that cigarettes must not be sold to those under 18, there’s no reason for us to not abide by the rules of the government,” said Anuar.

However, vernacular schools did not want to be comment further on the matter when contacted by The Vibes.

On July 24, the Education Ministry announced it was investigating a recent report that a school had organised a charity program involving contributions from an alcohol beverage company.

Its minister Fadhlina Sidek stressed the importance of adhering to guidelines and urged all to abide by it when accepting any donations.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, who is also DAP secretary-general, said that donations to Chinese primary schools have been a common practice for decades, adding that this issue had not been contentious in the past 30 years.

On July 19, Sepang MP Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu stated that she was not informed about the contributors to the construction of a hall for SJK(C) Tche Min, which allegedly included a beer company.

A post on the Pusat Khidmat Rakyat Parlimen Sepang Facebook page indicated that Aiman Athirah was aware of viral photos showing her, other contributors, and a mock cheque for a RM3 million contribution from a beer company at a school event.

Many ways to raise funds for schools

Meanwhile, National Parent-Teacher Association Consultative Council president Associate Prof Dr Mohamad Ali Hassan said there are many ways for schools to receive funds from an entity.

However, he said it would be best for the school to inform the district education department (PPD) as well as the PTA before going ahead with a plan.

“Anyone can donate to any school but they must first follow the guidelines given. They need clearance from the PPD so notify them first. If the PPD doesn’t agree, look for other alternatives.”

“The school, any school in the future, has to be sensitive. They can avoid unnecessary attention by not accepting funds from questionable sources,” said Mohamad Ali.

The brewery company in question was Tiger Beer, which had clarified that it did not provide any monetary donations to Chinese schools in the country.

In a press statement last Thursday it said that the brand has only engaged in presenting potential local performing artistes for the Chinese Education Charity Concert (CECC).

“Our sole role in the CECC is presenting local performing artistes for the concert that is organised for the donors.

“Our communications and engagements are kept at the level of the school’s Parent-Teacher Associations (PIBG) and the board members that run the schools,” it said in the statement.

It also said that more than RM413 million has been raised by the local communities through the CECC without any donations from the beer brand to the schools since its establishment over 30 years ago.

It added that CECC organisers have always taken great care to ensure that all its programmes and activities were respectful of religious and cultural sensitivities as well as being compliant with the local regulations.

Established in 1994, the CECC has been a platform for the local communities to help raise funds for upgrading Chinese school facilities to enrich students’ learning experiences. – August 3, 2024.