Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that any activities involving alcohol or gambling are strictly prohibited in school halls.
The Prime Minister stated that such actions clearly violate the principles and philosophy of national education, emphasizing that school halls should not be used for activities that contravene school regulations.
“Even after school hours, the school environment—especially the halls—must not be used for activities that break school rules. Even if the hall is rented out to an external organization, if there’s alcohol or gambling, it is not in line with educating children. The Education Minister has already brought this matter to my attention and emphasized that stricter enforcement is needed,” he said during a ministerial question session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) regarding the hosting of an “alcohol party” in a secondary school hall in Ipoh, Perak, on 27 September.
He clarified that the policy banning alcohol and gambling activities in schools is not meant to restrict the rights of non-Muslims.
“Schools are places for education, knowledge, morals, and values. We ask our non-Muslim friends to understand this. Schools—including non-Muslim schools—do not teach children from a young age to drink alcohol or gamble. That is the Malaysian cultural norm. Outside school, that is their right, and we do not question it. But such activities should be held elsewhere, not in school halls,” he added.
