COMMENT | My daughter, who is in secondary school, recently came home and said that she isn’t allowed to eat in school during Ramadan even when she isn’t fasting (because she is having her period).

We found out that the teachers wanted the Malay students who were not fasting to eat and drink at home and not in school if they weren’t fasting. My daughter and a friend had to go behind the toilets to have a few gulps of water when they were thirsty, which I think is totally ridiculous.

Now, we all already know that Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has already issued a directive that all canteens in schools must remain open as usual during Ramadan.

Of course, this irked many a Perikatan Nasional politician and they responded by saying that this is disrespectful of Muslims in the country.

In fact, the minister was questioned directly in Parliament by Temerloh MP Salamiah Nor and she answered a matter-of-factly.