Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today ticked off Perlis Menteri Besar Shahidan Kaassim for acting lone ranger in extending the school hours in his state without first consulting the Education Ministry, according to a report.

He said this move, which means that students in Perlis will have to attend school from 7.45am to 4.30pm, was bound to create confusion among the people.

"Shahidan should not do it alone...he should discuss the matter with the Education Ministry. We do not want any confusion among the people," Abdullah was quoted as saying by Bernama.

He added that change in school hours for whatever reasons should not have ben implemented without the ministry's consent.

Rejected

The proposal to extend school hours was announced o­n Feb 5 after Shahidan chaired his weekly State Executive Council meeting.

The idea was rejected by Education Minister Musa Mohamad yesterday who said that any change in school hours must be considered carefully and required the ministry's approval.

The minister had said that this was because any change is a federal policy matter and would have to be implemented simultaneously in all states if approved, adding that the Perlis state government was informed about the ministry's stand o­n the issue.

However, in today's newspapers Shahidan insisted that the proposal is for the good of students and will be put in place starting March 1.

Other controversies

The Perlis menteri besar had also acted alone o­n other matters without consulting his counterparts in other states nor the Federal government.

He was embroiled in another controversy recently when he proposed to impose a mandatory night curfew o­n teenagers under 18 last month.

He had said an order for youngsters to stay at home from 10pm to 6am will restrict them from frequenting entertainment outlets such as video arcades, karaoke joints and nightclubs.

The curfew would also work to curb negative habits, instill higher discipline among youths and discourage the culture of loitering, he argued.

His plan, however, was shot down later by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim who said the state government has no right to arbitrarily curb a person's freedom.

Last year, Shahidan also proposed to do away with the need for Muslim men to obtain a first wife's consent to a second marriage in order to stop men flocking to Thailand to marry again, which drew criticism from women's

groups.