Exploiting canteen issue during Ramadan makes mockery of ‘PAS for all’, says Aliran

[superadmin]

HUMAN rights and reform organisation Aliran has expressed deep concern that PAS has found it necessary to make an issue out of the Education Ministry’s recent directive to school canteens to open for business during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

“This is an unnecessary issue, especially in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society such as ours – where the people, including schoolchildren, should exercise mutual respect for each other’s rights and responsibilities.

“It is divisive for PAS to raise such an issue, which flies in the face of the party’s ‘PAS for all’ slogan,” said the Aliran executive committee in a statement today.

While the Muslims’ observance of fasting should be respected and appreciated, so too should the right of non-Muslims to eat at the school canteen, it stressed.

“It would not diminish the importance of fasting if the canteens are encouraged to operate during this period.

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