KUALA LUMPUR (UCAN): Catholic bishops in Malaysia urged the government to refrain from dragging children into geopolitics after the Education Ministry issued a circular on October 21 asking schools to observe Palestine Solidarity Week from October 29 to November 3.
The Malaysian Church is “greatly disturbed,” by the government circular, Archbishop Simon Poh, president of the Malaysian Catholic Bishops’ Conference said in a press statement on October 27. The schools are for education and “not for learning to hate others,” the bishops stressed.
“Children and students in schools are considered as minors and should never be dragged into such polemics,” said Archbishop Poh, the Borneo Post reported.
“Schools are the forum where children form friendship[s] and are educated to be good citizens to build harmony and progress for our nation Malaysia,” the archbishop said.
“Violence can be brought right into the classrooms and imprinted onto the innocent hearts of our young children. Guns and school should never mix together,” he emphasised.
While acknowledging the multi-racial, cultural, and various faith communities throughout Malaysia, Archbishop Poh called for better understanding and harmony among the people.
Schools are the forum where children form friendship[s] and are educated to be good citizens to build harmony and progress for our nation Malaysia
Archbishop Poh
“Let our energy be focused on economic recovery, creating employment for our people, working for better understanding and harmony between all people of Sarawak, Sabah, and Semenanjung,” the archbishop said.
He also commended Malaysians for their charitable efforts towards those in need.
“Malaysians in general are considered as generous” in helping the suffering people, especially those affected by wars or natural disasters, the bishops conference said.
The statement also lauded lawmakers in Christian-majority Sarawak state, who chose not to follow education ministry directives aiming to avoid stirring up any issues in the region.
It also warned that the intended demonstration of support for Palestine against Israel may be manipulated to give “rise to anti-Jew[ish] sentiment as seen by some overzealous teachers.”
The statement warned, “It is always inappropriate to encourage children to use violence or to vent their anger against those whom adults labelled as the enemy.”
The statement referred to a viral video, related to the Israel–Gaza conflict that had emerged earlier in the country. The video showed teachers carrying toy guns in schools and students being instigated to step on a flag. In a press statement on October 27, the Education Ministry said the video was recorded before it issued the circular, the Borneo Post reported.
The ministry also urged everyone to avoid any elements of extremism and violence during the organising of Palestine Solidarity Week. It also asked schools to refrain from using replica weapons, icons, and symbols containing provocative and confrontational elements.
