NIBONG TEBAL: The Education Ministry (MoE) has called on all parties to stop manipulating issues related to the organisation of school programmes and the distribution of donations.

Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the matter has been resolved and the ministry respects the Cabinet’s decision to uphold the existing guidelines.

“This issue has been settled, and we fully support the Cabinet’s decision to maintain the guidelines,“ she said.

“I hope this matter will not be raised again to allow us to focus on more pressing educational development issues,“ Fadhlina told reporters after launching the FIFA Football for Schools Programme and the FIFA Women’s Football Campaign at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tasek Permai here today.

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president Datuk S. Sivasundaram was also present at the event.

The controversy over school donations arose last month when Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Aiman Athirah Sabu attended a fundraising event at a Chinese school that received donations from an alcoholic beverage company.

In response, MoE announced that the Cabinet agreed to maintain the existing guidelines on organising programmes and channeling school donations on July 26.

Among other things, the guidelines stipulate that fundraising activities for schools must not display or promote alcoholic beverages within school premises.