Loke to discuss with Cabinet on school donations by alcohol firms

The transport minister and DAP secretary-general says such companies have been involved in fundraisers for Chinese schools for decades.

(FMT) – Transport minister Loke Siew Fook says he will bring the matter of donations by alcohol companies to Chinese schools to the Cabinet tomorrow.

Berita Harian reported Loke, who is also DAP secretary-general, as saying the matter should not have become an issue as alcohol companies have been involved in fundraisers for Chinese schools for decades.

“Alcohol companies have organised fundraising programmes for Chinese schools, which I have also attended, for the past 30 years.

“Why is this being made an issue now? We must understand that this is not a new thing,” he said to reporters at SMK Mantin in Seremban today.

Controversy had recently erupted after PAS took issue with deputy housing and local government minister Aiman Athirah Sabu for receiving a mock check for RM3 million bearing Tiger Beer’s logo at a fundraiser for SJK(C) Tche Min in Sungai Pelek, Selangor.

The education ministry yesterday said it was probing the incident, and reminded schools to adhere to the existing guidelines, issued in 2018, which prohibit the acceptance of donations generated from activities such as gambling, as well as the sale of tobacco, drugs and alcohol.

Education minister Fadhlina Sidek later said her ministry will not review or grant exemptions for the guidelines on donations given to schools, including for vernacular schools.

She said all schools must adhere to the existing guidelines, which she described as neither too difficult to comply with nor a hindrance to schools obtaining donations.

However, Loke said such programmes are usually held outside the school in restaurants, and it is common within the Chinese community for alcohol companies to organise school-related programmes.