The Malaysian Insight

A PETITION calling for Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik to be replaced described his appointment to the key ministry as “political suicide” for Pakatan Harapan.

The change.org petition said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s popularity has taken a hit due to his failure to listen to the people’s complaints on Maszlee’s “nonsensical policies”.

“Maszlee is a newbie in politics and has little to no experience in any administrative position. Even his PhD has nothing to do with public administration.

“To expect him to run a ministry so important to all Malaysians is like bringing the PH government to political suicide,” said the petition, which has gotten more than 2,700 signatures of its targeted 5,000 since it was started three weeks ago.

It cited Maszlee’s proposals for a switch from white school shoes to black, a cashless payment system in schools, petrol stations on university grounds, and swimming lessons to be made a co-curricular activity.

It also pointed to his statement last year urging religious teachers to make Sabah and Sarawak their “medan dakwah”, or new fronts in Islamic propagation.

Stephen Ng, who started the petition, cited an instance where Maszlee sent his press officer to meet a parents’ group.

“This is an insult of the highest order to us as parents, who are concerned about what is happening to our children’s schools.

“We are concerned that the PH government will lose many of its votes because of this minister you have appointed.”

This is not the first petition on change.org calling for the minister to be replaced.

One petition started by “Citizen of Malaysia” six months ago got just 19 signatures of its targeted 100.

Another was started by Roland Sia for Movement for Change Sarawak. It collected 1,077 signatures out of its goal of 1,500.

One petition in support of Maszlee, started shortly after his appointment last year, received 216,008 signatures of its targeted 300,000.

Also last year, a petition calling for Dr Mahathir to take on the education portfolio was started. It got close to 121,500 signatures of its 150,000 target. – May 19, 2019.