By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Dec 4: There is no prohibition against opposition Members of Parliament or state elected representatives from visiting schools in Sarawak, said Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
He said that over the past one year, many Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) elected representatives had been granted permission to enter schools.
“There were 515 permissions granted to GPS and PSB elected representatives to enter schools and attend events. By comparison, only 170 permissions were granted to Pakatan Harapan (PH) elected representatives to enter schools,” said Chong in a press statement today.
Chong said that although the current PH government did not impose any prohibitions against opposition elected representatives from entering schools, schools had to seek prior permission as part of procedure.
Chong, who is also Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, alleged that there had been incidences of GPS leaders “treating schools as their political platforms” by bringing in their party logos and giving political speeches in schools during PIBG events.
“Under the new government, this is no longer allowed and it applies equally to PH leaders as well.”
Chong, who is also Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, claimed that this had led to GPS elected representatives playing victim and crying foul over this policy because they could no longer arbitrarily enter schools to carry out political campaigning.
“In fact, there is nothing unfair in the new policy. Schools, in the first place, should not be used by any political parties to do political campaigning.”
Chong asserted that the PH federal government was only righting the wrongs carried out by the past BN government and that GPS leaders should learn to accept that they could no longer enter schools to do their political work and speeches as was done during their time.—DayakDaily
