The former national shuttler related in a social media posting how his eight-year-old son asked why he had been advised by his teacher to eat away from his Muslim friends at school.

Lee, admitting his fault for not educating his son about Ramadan, explained that the teacher’s advice was a sign of respect for those who were fasting.

While Kingston immediately questioned the need for tolerance, he was quickly reprimanded by his mother Wong Mew Choo, a former national badminton player herself.

“They won’t be your friends if you’re not tolerant,” Lee then told a tearful Kingston. “Imagine if people are not tolerant. People will scold you when you let off firecrackers during Chinese New Year and our Indian friends who want to organise Thaipusam processions won’t be able to do so.

“If there is no respect among one another, shopping malls in KL will not put up Christmas trees during Christmas.

“We won in football and at the Thomas Cup because we were tolerant and united”.

A regretful Kingston then said he wanted to remain friends with his Muslim classmates, with Lee ending his post wishing all Muslims a blessed Ramadan.

Lee’s post has garnered over 28,000 likes, 1,900 shares and 800 comments on Facebook so far, most of whom were netizens praising Lee for teaching his son good values.