Activist slams KL library for barring two refugee students
Yayasan Chow Kit founder Hartini Zainudin has rebuked the Kuala Lumpur Library – which is operated by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) – after two of her refugee students were barred from entering the library.
In a Twitter posting today, she said her two refugee students only wanted to read within the library premises and were not intending to borrow any books.
“DBKL library wouldn’t allow...
Yayasan Chow Kit founder Hartini Zainudin has rebuked the Kuala Lumpur Library – which is operated by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) – after two of her refugee students were barred from entering the library.
She said the children only wanted to read within the library premises and did not intend to borrow any books.
“The DBKL library wouldn’t allow two of my refugee kids in to read. They didn’t even want to borrow books, just (wanted to) read on-premise.
“(They were) told they cannot enter. Fine! We’ll build our own library for all kids. (I am) so angry,” Hartini tweeted.
The activist later said she would make a list of books the children would like to read and that they would create their own public space for the children to do so.
In a reply to a netizen who commented on her posting, Hartini said the students were told they could not enter because they are refugees.
“Teachers are going down tomorrow to argue. Before I go down and breathe fire,” she added in the reply.
Hartini also provided an update, saying that the library spokesperson had been in contact.
The spokesperson had apologised and said their staff should not have used the word “refugee”.
“Okay. Apology accepted. Are you going to let them in?
“We are still going to set up our own library,” Hartini said in another tweet.
She added that this is the second time her refugee students had been turned away from the library, with the first incident happening in March.
The spokesperson had told her the March incident could have been due to compliance with the Health Ministry’s standard operating procedures (SOPs), which only allowed vaccinated visitors to enter.
“I told him in March, vaccination for students had yet to start. He acknowledged. He was not able to give clarification on my question.
“As for the recent one, he said there must be a miscommunication,” she added.
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