Malaysia’s education ministry has ordered an in depth investigation into a viral video revealing children and teachers at a school bearing mock firearms for an occassion that promotes solidarity with the Palestinians, the Bernama news agency reported. Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said her ministry will be doing more activity over the photos and videos that have been circulating since Friday, after getting an in depth report.
Ms Fadhlina was remarking on calls from various parties urging the education ministry to take disciplinary action in opposition to organisers displaying violence in schools during the Palestine Solidarity Week. Her ministry earlier said the programme would “provide education to students about humane values that also involve human rights and compassion”, and is connected with the government’s stance to defend the rights and freedom of the Palestinians.
The programme will be happening from Oct 29 to Nov 3 according to a circular dated Oct 21 sent by the education ministry to administrators of public institutions, which includes vocational and matriculation colleges. Several adviced activities involve a formal launch of the solidarity week during schools’ morning assemblies, fund-raisers for Palestinians and the playing of songs and videos that “tied in with humanitarian problems ” in Gaza, which is extremely disturbed by the thunders of war. Israel has pledged to annihilate Hamas in Gaza after the Palestinian militant group brought a surprise cross-border attack in southern Israel on Oct 7 that took away precious lives of around 1,400 people.