Federal Territories BN Youth chief Mohd Razlan Rafii has defended the Umno-themed decoration and performance contest at a primary school in Putrajaya yesterday, following criticism from an NGO.

“I was at that event and what was presented was the ‘history of our Independence’.

“The history (of our struggle) against the Malayan Union and Tunku Abdul Rahman’s excursion to London. This is the history of Malaya’s success in releasing itself from the clutches of opposition without spilling blood,” Razlan said in a statement today.

He was responding to the Parent Action Group for Education (Page), which said yesterday that the apparent attempts to turn schools into "political hotbeds" are eroding confidence in national schools.

The event at SK Putrajaya Presint 14(1) yesterday saw students chanting “Hidup Umno” (Long live Umno), waving the party flags and singing the party song.

At one point, a banner with the words “Hidup Umno, Hidup Melayu. Dulu, Kini dan Selamanya" (Long live Umno, Long live Malays. Before, Now and Forever) appeared onstage.

“Can Page not accept the history of Tunku Abdul Rahman, along with VT Sambathan and Tan Cheng Lock, who gave a speech together before heading to London and the event of Tunku’s return to Malaya to announce the happy news of Independence, (which was depicted) in the students’ performance?” Razlan asked.

He said these events were all part of the country’s history, which could not be denied, and that no other country tries to diminish or change the history of its independence.

As such, Razlan urged NGOs such as Page to work together and provide ideas on how to sow patriotism in the rakyat so that they do not forget the country’s history.

“Page should attend (such events) as well and learn how to maintain the spirit of patriotism, which is increasingly decreasing in Malaysians due to the disgusting political games, to the point that they can speak ill of their own country,” he said.

It is not weird for a school to hold a programme on the country’s independence, he said, pointing out that it is part of the democratic system practised in Malaysia.

“What is weird today is when so many cannot accept the reality of Umno’s success in rejecting the Malayan Union and bringing about independence,” Razlan (photo) said.

The Putrajaya primary school event was organised by the Federal Territories Ministry, the Putrajaya Education Department, the Putrajaya Umno division education bureau and two other NGOs.

Meanwhile, the president of the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) Zamri Mohd also said that the event was due to the historical factor, as Umno was one of the parties responsible for and contributed to Malaysia’s independence.

“It’s hard for me to comment, but maybe it was due to the historical factor.

“In the history subject in school, in the history books, it is stated that Umno is one of the parties that contributed to independence.

“This is a historical fact which we cannot change. We have to admit that Umno, MCA and MIC (contributed to independence),” Zamri said last night.

There was nothing wrong with the event at the Putrajaya school, he added, as it enabled students to get to know Umno better.

“(Singing the Umno song) could just be to get to know what Umno is, and I don’t think there is anything wrong about that.

“To me, it is not like the students became members of the party, but to introduce to them that this is the Umno party which was a factor in independence, as introduced in the History subject.

“This is a positive way of looking at it, unless there was an order to join Umno,” Zamri said.