Association executive committee member Mak Chee Kin said teachers, parents and students are frustrated because they are unable to buy the necessary tools to support PdPR.

“Many of them either need to replenish their stationery or buy books and material for PdPR,” he said in a statement today.

While some of the materials could be bought online, Mak noted that people might require it immediately and could not afford to wait for their items to be delivered.

He added that there were also many out there who were not digitally savvy enough to shop online.

“Furthermore, books are something that we have to browse through to check for suitability,” he said in lamenting that books and stationery sections in departmental stores were closed because they were not deemed essential.

According to Mak, feedback from booksellers nationwide indicated that parents and teachers were demanding that businesses directly involved with PdPR be allowed to open to cater for online lessons.

Last Thursday, the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry said it would make a suggestion for premises selling items related to PdPR to operate during the lockdown.

Deputy minister Rosol Wahid said the proposal would be forwarded to the National Security Council for consideration, adding that among the premises would be stores selling books and stationery, as well as printing shops.