Commenting on a news report about what appeared to be an Umno function held yesterday at SK Putrajaya Presint 14 (1), Page chief Noor Azimah Rahim said the principal was supposed to protect the school against abuse by politicians.

“It’s obvious that the children were turned into political tools,” she told FMT.

“Of course, children will do what they are told to do, but how did this happen so blatantly?”

A news report said hundreds of pupils and teachers at the school took part in a class decoration and performance competition which carried the theme “Umno and independence #Negaraku”.

Umno flags were evident across the school compound, and pupils waved small flags and sang the Umno theme.

At one point, according to the report, a banner with the words “Hidup Umno, Hidup Melayu. Dulu, Kini dan Selamanya” was displayed on stage.

Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was at the event to give away prizes to winners of the competition.

He also delivered a speech, in which he urged teachers to join Umno. At the end of the speech, the pupils chanted “Hidup Umno”.

The headmaster, Mohd Amin Hamzah, was quoted as saying that the school had not violated any rules in allowing a political party to be on its premises.

He also said the theme was the federal territories ministry’s idea.

Azimah urged parents to lodge a complaint with the education ministry.

She said the children were in the school to learn and it was wrong to allow any political party to promote itself there.

“The principal should have made attempts to keep this from happening,” she added. “The school does not belong to Umno.”

Education consultant Tan Ai Mei agreed with Azimah and said such an incident should not be repeated.

“If such practices are not stopped, children will turn into tools for politicians,” she said.