Zaid pans Umno, PAS leaders over response to brewery fundraiser

He said there were many serious problems affecting the Malay community, “yet their leaders are only angry with beer, gambling and the Chinese”. “

(FMT) – The former law minister says they should call for the adequate funding of Chinese schools instead of ‘moralising’ the issue.

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim today criticised Umno and PAS leaders for their reaction to the raising of funds by breweries for Chinese schools, saying they “always get angry” about matters that do not affect them.

He said while Chinese community leaders were aware of the dangers of addiction to any substance, receiving the proceeds of fundraising by breweries was necessary as such schools received little government funding.

“Umno and PAS should instead respond positively and urge the government to fund Chinese schools adequately. That’s better than moralising (the issue),” he said in a post on X.

Fundraising for Chinese-medium schools became an issue after PAS criticised a deputy minister for receiving a RM3 million mock cheque bearing the Tiger Beer logo at a fundraiser for SJK(C) Tche Min in Sungai Pelek, Selangor, recently.

The education ministry stood by its guidelines on donations to schools, which it said had been practised by several previous administrations.

The Cabinet meanwhile agreed to give vernacular schools the leeway to accept donations through their board of directors or foundation. However, the organising of activities involving alcohol brands cannot involve Muslim students.

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh had defended education minister Fadhlina Sidek after criticism from DAP’s Lim Guan Eng, saying the government’s policy on banning such contributions was to protect racial and religious sensitivities.

But Zaid said the Malays suffered from other serious addictions that these leaders should be concerned with, citing drugs as an example.

“How many husbands cheated on their first wives and got themselves married in Thailand? These leaders should put a stop to this. They have not touched on this,” he added.

He also noted reports of sexual assaults on young boys in schools, with teachers involved in some cases.

“How many cases of sexual assault have the government prosecuted, and how many teachers have been dismissed? Let us know,” he said.

Likewise, he raised concerns about the many types of religious schools in the country, asking, “Who supervises them?”

He said there were many serious problems affecting the Malay community, “yet their leaders are only angry with beer, gambling and the Chinese”.

“They (Malay leaders) don’t care about their people. That’s why the Malays have no future.”