Nicholas Wung Says Banning Alcohol Is A Setback For Fundraising In Chinese School

suppadmin | October 25, 2025

SUPP Kuching Branch Youth Chief Nicholas Wung Duk Ying stated that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent statement in Parliament prohibiting government schools from hosting any events involving alcohol is a setback to the fundraising efforts that have long sustained the development of Chinese primary schools.

Wung explained that for decades, Chinese schools have depended on fundraising dinners, hall rentals for weddings, and community banquets to supplement limited government allocations. The sudden move to restrict such events, he said, has sparked strong dissatisfaction among the Chinese community.

However, just 14 hours after Anwar’s statement, the Cabinet held an emergency meeting and decided that banquets held in Chinese primary school halls nationwide would not be affected by the ban.

Wung said the swift reversal, with DAP ministers claiming credit, was still a positive step that helped ease public frustration and showed the Cabinet’s readiness to listen.

He noted that Chinese schools had rented out their halls for decades without any alcohol-related incidents, but such practices came under scrutiny after Pakatan Harapan took office.

In July last year, the Cabinet decided that charity performances for Chinese education sponsored by beer companies could not display alcohol brand logos when held in Chinese school halls effectively discouraging sponsorships and cutting off a crucial source of fundraising income.

That ruling led to incidents earlier this year in Bentong, Pahang, and in Kelantan, where Chinese schools were instructed not to serve alcoholic beverages during hall banquets. Wung said such restrictions have seriously hindered the growth of Chinese education and created a “chilling effect” nationwide, affecting many schools that depend on hall rentals to stay financially viable. He viewed Anwar’s statement in Parliament as a continuation of these restrictive measures.

Turning to Sarawak, Wung commended the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government’s commitment to securing greater educational autonomy and fostering inclusive growth.

He noted that Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s recent remarks at the People’s Party convention encouraging the Bumiputera community to emulate the Chinese “education first” approach have further strengthened support for Chinese education in the state.

Wung expressed confidence that under GPS’s progressive policies, Sarawak’s education sector will continue to flourish and remain a model of inclusiveness and progress.