KUALA LUMPUR – Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek is receiving brickbats over her ministry’s response to allegations of discrimination involving an SPM workshop supposedly held exclusively for Muslim students in an elite all-girls school.
Taking to Twitter to voice their dissatisfaction with the ministry’s handling of the issue, many netizens were quick to admonish Fadhlina for issuing a “half-baked” explanation on the matter.
Several users pointed out that if the workshop had excluded non-Muslim students to avoid disrupting Chinese New Year festivities – as claimed by the ministry – the absence of Indian students at the workshop raised further questions.
Commenting on Fadhlina’s Twitter post of the ministry’s statement, user @A_Hxrrxz poured scorn over the “excuse,” saying: “Even if you want to cover (the matter) up, be smarter about it.
“(The ministry) is using Chinese New Year as an excuse but did the workshop involve Indian students?” he asked, with fellow user @pengesanpenipu also raising the same doubts over the ministry’s statement.
User @luarkotak35 also called on Fadhlina to avoid “futile attempts” at justifying the school’s apparent blunder, as the workshop could have been conducted before or after the holiday period.
Another user by the name of @mlvndrr took aim at Fadhlina for ostensibly failing to properly address the issue.
“What a rubbish statement from you, (Fadhlina). As an education minister, you know damn well that Chinese New Year celebrations were not the reason (for the workshop excluding non-Muslim students).
“Just take responsibility and admit that the workshop was purposely organised for Muslim students. Do better,” he said.
Similarly, user @AnxiousQuill doubted the ministry’s explanation as it appeared to contain information the school principal had failed to convey to disgruntled parents when the issue was raised in a purported WhatsApp conversation.
“Someone’s not being truthful here,” they alleged.
Earlier, the principal had reportedly told parents that the workshop was an intervention to assist Malay students who had fared poorly in their studies.
She noted that a total of 40 students had failed their recent trial examinations and that if no action was taken, the students would not be able to pass their SPM.
Fadhlina had also come under fire after telling The Vibes that the matter will be handled by the Johor Education Department, with netizens lambasting the minister for “washing her hands” of the issue.
Previously, the first-time minister had said that her ministry is looking to empower state education departments to take charge of issues in their respective states. – The Vibes, January 25, 2023
