'Students shouldn't be forced into neutrality on Palestine'

KUALA TERENGGANU - The long-standing colonisation and oppression in Palestine over the past 75 years highlights severe human rights violations.

According to Terengganu Amanah Youth Secretary Muammar Qaddafi Mohd Nasir, students, especially Muslims, should not be coerced into neutrality concerning the ongoing Palestinian struggle.

Nasir commented that the Education Ministry should refrain from bowing to political pressures, such as from parties like Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP, to rethink the decision of hosting Palestine Solidarity Week.

He considered the week as an educational tool for fostering a generation aware of contemporary global issues.

"Educationally, it's imperative for students to grasp international matters like the Palestine conflict.

"Expecting them to remain 'neutral' isn't feasible when the line between oppressor and oppressed is so evident," Muammar said in a statement today.

Addressing a recent viral video of students with toy guns, Muammar urged the public not to connect it with Palestine Solidarity Week.

He pointed out the event in the video was outside the week's scheduled activities.

He termed it an isolated incident unrelated to the Education Ministry's Solidarity celebrations.

"If a single event necessitates programme cancellation due to inappropriate remarks, then DAP would need to reconsider many of their events," Nasir commented, adding that mistakes can occur despite careful planning.

In a related matter, Amanah Terengganu Youth also stressed that schools should observe Palestine Solidarity Week in line with guidelines from the Education Ministry.

Responding to these events, DAP Vice Chairman Nga Kor Ming, also the Local Government Development Minister, called for action against those sanctioning students' use of toy weapons in Palestine solidarity events.

DAP had also further called on the Education Ministry to act against organisers showcasing any form of violence in school programmes.