With the ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces, our country’s Ministry of Education (MOE) announced that schools nationwide will hold a Palestine Solidarity Week from 29 October to 3 November 2023.
The programme is meant to iterate the government’s stance of standing together to defend the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people amid the escalating conflict.
However, the decision to hold the solidarity week at schools and involving underage school children has been criticised by some parties which found it inappropriate.
Criticism further escalated after a series of images and videos went viral online, depicting a Palestine Solidarity programme at a local school in which teachers and schoolchildren were brandishing replica weapons such as guns and assault rifles.
Some of the images and videos were shared by activist and lawyer Siti Kasim on X, in which she also called out the government for holding such a programme in schools.
In one post, she asserted,
“This is one of the reasons we objected to this idea by this Madani government to hold a so-called Solidarity with Palestine in schools.”
“Are we training Jihadis now in our schools? What’s with the weapons and all?”
This is one of the reason we objected to this idea by this Madani government to hold so called Solidarity with Palestine in schools. Are we training Jihadis now in our schools? What’s with the weapons and all? Looks like the teacher is pretty proud of herself. pic.twitter.com/WlfomdUJBo
— Siti Kasim (@sitikasim) October 27, 2023
Meanwhile, in another X post, she tagged Education Minister Fadhlina Siddiq and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and asked if they were happy that “children and teachers are bearing arms”?
@anwaribrahim @FadhlinaSiddiq Are you happy now? Children and teachers bearing arms? What kind of sick minds do you all have eh? #Palestine #IsrealPalestineWar pic.twitter.com/LPfHOjH6lU
— Siti Kasim (@sitikasim) October 27, 2023
The Prime Minister has since responded to the viral postings and said that the government needs to control the Palestine Solidarity Week programmes in schools so that such an incident doesn’t happen when it starts this Sunday.
As reported by FMT, Anwar stressed,
“We have to control this. We discussed this in the Cabinet meeting. We encourage schools to do this (show solidarity) but we do not force them.
“Secondly, we have to control it so it won’t become a problem,”
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
So, what do you guys think of the whole situation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: Malaysian Kids Organised a Palestine Rally on Roblox & It’s Touching Hearts Everywhere
