A demonstration planned by several Malay groups to counter DAP's claim that the alleged compulsory recitation of doa selamat (thanksgiving prayer) by non-Muslim students in Penang's Convent Light Street primary school has been successfully thwarted.

Sources close to the government said that Gerakan and Umno officials attended several meetings to explain the issue to the organisers over the past few days.

The issue threatened to blow into a religious controversy when state DAP organising secretary Law Heng Kiang on Monday led a peaceful demonstration outside the school with members holding placards opposing the move as against the constitution.

On June 13, the matter became public when Penang DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow said there were complaints that the headmistress, who started duty on May 8, had implemented the doa selamat every morning through the PA system for Muslims students.

State intervention

Following the demonstration, State Economic Planning, Education and Human Resource Development Committee chairperson Dr Toh Kin Woon intervened to resolve the matter.

According to the source, the state is currently under intense pressure to prevent the issue from blowing into a racial and religious controversy.

The source said Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon had asked for a report on the matter to be handed over to him immediately.

It is learnt that the school's Board of Management and Teacher-Parents Association were disappointed that the sensitive issue was not handled quietly to avoid creating unnecessary controversy.

A state Umno leader told malaysiakini that there was no need for a demonstration as the issue had been properly explained to the people.

"We have had meetings with several groups, even today and people understand the issue now," he said. .

Toh, who is state assemblyperson for Machang Bubok, said that a meeting was held in a friendly and cordial manner today in which an agreement was reached that the prayers would be recited only during religious class lessons and not at the assembly, in accordance with the tradition of the school.

Never an issue

The meeting, chaired by Toh, was attended by state assemblyperson for Padang Kota Teng Chang Yeow, two senior officials of the State Education Department, the headmistress and representatives from the Board of Managers, Parents-Teachers Association and the school alumni.

He also said pupils being forced to wear the baju kurung and tudung was never an issue.

"The headmistress merely advised Muslim girls to wear the baju kurung , which is part of the school uniform, for religious classes," he added.

A teacher at the school, who requested anonymity, said the headmistress had made it clear that the prayers were for non-Muslims only.

She was unhappy that DAP did not make an effort to resolve it amicably as it was a sensitive issue but instead created a fuss by holding a demonstration outside the school.

Meanwhile, DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang commended Toh for intervening in the controversy, adding that the latter would concede that the approach of the coming general election has a major bearing on its temporary resolution.

"However, after the next general election, if the "929 Declaration" that Malaysia is an Islamic state is seen as having received popular endorsement as in a landslide Barisan Nasional victory, then such insensitivities will not be so easily addressed or resolved," he said in a press statement.

"Even Dr Toh in such a situation might not be able to do much, whatever his personal beliefs and inclinations," he added.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had declared that Malaysia was an Islamic state on Sept 29, 2001, at Gerakan's national delegates conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Nationwide campaign

The announcement led to the DAP embarking on a nation-wide campaign to oppose the move as against the Federal Constitution.

DAP had also left the Barisan Alternatif due to its inability to resolve the Islamic state issue with PAS.

Lim said there were forces at work stronger and more powerful than individuals or political parties.

He said this explained why there had recently been a spate of "insensitive and intolerant" incidents which would have been unthinkable whether in the early years of Independence or even before the "929 Declaration".

Examples Lim cited were the new ruling implemented this year by the Johor Bahru municipalities requiring the written consent of Muslim neighbours before issue or renewal of dog licences and the ban on sale of pork in open-air markets in Kajang.