Gerakan vice-president Mah Siew Keong urged Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to revoke outdated government directives and circulars.

He particularly picked on the one compelling those who wanted to form non-Muslim clubs in schools to seek permission from the state education department.

"These directives are absolutely unnecessary and caused anxiety amongst students, parents and various religious groups," he said in a press statement today.

gerakan women forum 080306 mah siew keong Mah ( right ) added that the revocation would stop allegations that the government was unnecessarily hindering initiatives to hold religious education and activities in national schools.

"Our federal constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the first principle of our Rukun Negara also states "Believe in God". Therefore it is improper to place restrictions or conditions on anyone wanting to form religious clubs or societies in schools for non-Muslim students to learn universal religious values," he said.

Mah's sentiments echoed the calls of MCA and DAP veteran politician Lim Kit Siang who have all called for the scrapping of the circular.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Selangor education department had issued a circular for the closure of Klang High School's Buddhist, Hindu and Christian associations.

However Muhyiddin had explained that circular Bil.20/2000 issued by the Education Ministry, which said that all school societies must be registered with state education departments, had been misunderstood, and clubs formed before the year 2000 would not be affected.