Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong has refused to comment on charges by elected representatives from Pakatan Rakyat that they are barred from functions held in schools in Selangor.

NONE "This is and old story... they dug out an old issue," Wee ( left ) said.

"I have already answered and clarified in Parliament about this. I don't want to repeat it. If it is a new thing, I will answer it."

The MCA leader was referring to an earlier incident last year in which, he said, the opposition had already brought up the issue and questioned him in Parliament.

The deputy minister's answer then was that 57 leaders from Selangor Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan had been appointed by the Education Minister to represent him at official Education Ministry events at schools in the state.

This, Wee had said in his answer then, did not mean that these were the only people who could visit schools.

The issue was raised again yesterday in a tweet by Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh, who questioned a February 2009 circular informing schools of the matter. Yeoh also released to the media the list of "approved politicians" that she had obtained.

Signed by the principal secretary to the Education Minister, the circular was sent to the director of the Selangor Education Department.

Requests to visit schools 'constantly turned down'

It also states that all the BN representatives on the list have been issued with certificates of appointment, copies of which were attached to the circular with a full list of names and the posts they held in their political parties.

Yeoh complained that this effectively meant that Pakatan elected representatives could not attend functions at schools in Selangor, and related her frustration at being constantly turned down when she made requests to visit schools in her constituency.

DAP's Teratai state assemblyperson Jenice Lee agreed with her.

"I know this has happened to many other Pakatan leaders, not just to me and Hannah. And this is clearly unfair," Lee had said yesterday.