GEORGE TOWN – A school in Penang has lodged a police report over allegations that it was visited by a crew member of Chinese naval ships, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Fadhlina said that the visitors were students from China’s Naval University of Engineering and not navy personnel as alleged.
She further explained that the visit was part of a cultural and sports exchange programme to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
Fadhlina also said that the involved school has received permission from all relevant authorities to organise the exchange programme.
“Therefore, there is no such thing as the Chinese navy visiting the school. Such statements have created a lot of misunderstanding among the society.
“(Therefore) to prevent (further) misunderstanding and prolonging slanders (from other parties), the school has filed a police report,” she told the reporters at the sidelines of an event in Kepala Batas.
Fadhlina’s statement came following one issued by Perikatan Nasional’s Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah earlier today, where he questioned the warm reception to two Chinese navy ships that docked in Penang last Saturday, given the ongoing concerns about the republic’s activities in Malaysian maritime zones.
He questioned whether the Foreign Ministry was informed about this visit, whether the programme was permitted by the Defence Ministry, as well as why the school was selected for the programme.
Earlier, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil also clarified that the ships docked according to protocol and the Defence Ministry was aware of the docking.
The two Chinese navy vessels – Qi Jiguang and JingGangShan – docked in Penang on Saturday on a three-day goodwill visit intended to enhance mutual trust between the naval forces of China and Malaysia.
It was reported that the crew members visited a private high school here and also made courtesy calls to officials from the state government.
GISB: Rescued children doing well
On a separate matter, Fadhlina said that the 662 children rescued from the raids conducted on welfare homes owned by Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) are thriving under a special educational programme formulated by the ministry.
The programme, made in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, began on October 1 for the children who are placed in safe locations.
“They are engaged in learning together with the counsellors.
“Myself and the director-general and the chief secretary of the ministry have visited the locations where the children are placed and Alhamdullilah, they seem to be doing well,” she added. – October 10, 2024