PETALING JAYA: Cracks are beginning to show in Perikatan Nasional as PAS is upset with its non-Muslim coalition partner Gerakan for aligning with DAP in the sensitive issue involving funding of Chinese schools by alcohol companies.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said Gerakan’s stance on the issue was very disappointing.

“If this is what Gerakan consistently shows, it is not impossible that we will not be in the same political coalition in the next general election,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Ahmad Fadhli, who is also Pasir Mas MP, was responding to a statement made by Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau on the issue.

During a press conference following the Gerakan central committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Lau did not hide his party’s stance which concurred with DAP that alcohol or cigarette-related companies should not be exempted from funding Chinese schools.

Lau had said the Education Ministry should not restrict fundraising activities by certain companies in schools if the government did not allocate sufficient funds to all streams of schools.

He said the government should understand and not hinder the long-standing tradition of fundraising activities at Chinese schools.

“With limited government assistance, they can only rely on fundraising activities such as charity sales, charity dinners, concerts and performances to secure funding,” he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/29/fissures-appear-in-perikatan-over-funding-issue