Religious segregation in Sabah school  - Extension of Dr Maszlee’s “medan dakwah”?

Wanita MCA Sabah condemns in the harshest terms, the move by a secondary school in Sabah to segregate school students along religious lines on the pretext of making it more convenient for Muslim students to attend their religious studies and for non-Muslims to attend their Moral studies without changing classes (The Star, 19 March 2019).

Considering that thousands of schools nationwide do not have difficulties in arranging classrooms for religious and Moral classes in accordance with the subject’s timetable, why would the said school find it cumbersome to do likewise? Their explanation offered is misguided and unsound.

Dividing school students along religious lines is totally, un-Sabah-like, and definitely, un-Malaysian, and further drowns the cherished goals of national unity and unity in diversity as students are groomed to be intolerant and bigoted. Post GE14 voters never expected the idealism of the “New Malaysia’’ to be warped like this.

It is unhealthy that, at an impressionable age, this move not only inculcates religious superiority versus religious inferiority (an us versus them mentality), but this separation prevents teenagers from building lifelong friendships with schoolmates who profess another creed. Such an artificial sense of security of finding comfort amongst commonality may later translate to tertiary years as well as working adult life.

Such religious polarisation during adolescent years will also propel preferential treatment of one who professes the same creed, whilst discriminating against those of a different faith.

One cannot help but be cynical and wonder if the school authority’s decision is one in response to Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s proposal that Peninsula teachers posted to Sabah and Sarawak treat the two Bornean states as “medan dakwah.”

The onus is now on Education Minister Dr Maszlee to use his discretionary powers to intervene
pronto, and prevent the situation in the particular school from escalating farther.

Let us ensure that schools must not only educate students on academia, but be centres to impart values of mutual respect and acceptance. Ideally, schoolmates should be exposed to the cultural and religious practices and sensitivities of one another. Sabah can stand proud that we have houses of worship of various faiths erected along the same streets and yet, no untoward incidents have befallen. Let us ensure that this peaceful co-existence continues and never be altered to appease the narrow-minded prejudices of a few with authority.

Dr Pamela Yong
Wanita MCA Sabah

-MCA online-