MCA vice-president Chew Mei Fun has slammed the Terengganu education department for supposedly allowing schools the option to extend Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays at the expense of Deepavali holidays.

“Not only is this directive inconsiderate to the needs of Hindu students and teachers, who as fellow Malaysians, will also want to celebrate Deepavali with their families and friends, more so, if they have to travel outstation for family reunions.

“It is also insensitive to all Malaysian citizens irrespective of race and religion who celebrate the various festive seasons together,” Chew ( photo ) said in a statement today.

The senator also pointed out that Deepavali is a public holiday gazetted by the federal government, and should not be changed by ‘little Napoleons’ in the civil service.

She was responding to a purported letter dated June 15 that is being circulated on social media that is signed by Terengganu education department director Shafruddin Ali Hussin.

It says that schools in the state are allowed the option of bringing forward the Deepavali school holidays slated for Nov 11 and 12 to extend the Hari Raya Aidilfitri by two days to July 23.

Controversies over religious values

Meanwhile, Chew, who is also the deputy minister of women, family, and community development, also lamented the number of controversies over the past two weeks where one’s religious values are imposed onto another.

These include the controversy involving the outfit of the award-winning gymnast Farah Ann Hadi Abdullah’s outfit during the SEA Games, and the supposed joke by a teacher at SK Ibrahim as he told non-Muslim students not to drink in class.

“This may be attributed to the lack of understanding between the various ethnic groups and faiths, the lack of spirit of mutual acceptance, thereby causing people’s feelings to be hurt […]

“We hope the overzealous bureaucrats will halt enforcing their values unto religious minorities in Malaysia and be sensitive and cognisant on the centuries’ religious practices of non-Muslims in our country,” she said.