Fadhlina's badge of shame: RM8.4 million for flag pins fuels pressure on minister to resign

The Anwar Ibrahim administration's move to spend over RM8 million on the purchase of Jalur Gemilang pins for 5.14 million students nationwide has come under fire from various quarters, including parents who question Putrajaya's priorities in spending for the education sector.

The announcement by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has also compounded existing anger over the manner in which the authorities have been handling the case of Zara Qairina Mahathir, a Form 1 student in Sabah who died after an apparent fall from her dormitory.

The allocation has been labelled as a waste, with many pointing out that it would be much cheaper to purchase the pins from suppliers and sellers on online platforms such as Shopee.

Fadhlina had said that a total of 91 companies would be involved in the supply of 10.28 million pins, with RM8.4 million budgeted for the provision of two badges per student at an average cost of 82 sen per unit.

"On Shopee and Lazada, badges of the same specification can be bought for as little as 49 sen to 58 sen per unit (retail price, not wholesale," prominent critic Lim Sian See wrote following Fadhlina's response in the Dewan Rakyat.

"If the badges were purchased at the retail price of 58 sen, the cost for 10.28 million pins would be only around RM5.96 million – RM2.44 million less than the government's price.

"If priced at 49 sen, we would save RM3.39 million."

Checks on several online shopping platforms confirmed that badges of the specified size – approximately 2cm x 5cm – could be bought for 70 sen per unit.

Parents and teachers at several schools who spoke to MalaysiaNow said they had disagreed with the move from the start.

While the government said that the badges were intended to foster patriotism among students, they said the more pertinent question was who would receive the windfall from the purchase, the funds for which could be used to fund the construction of buildings and facilities as well as repairs to dilapidated schools.

And although the education ministry enforced guidelines for the use of such badges effective April 21, no disciplinary action will be taken against students who do not wear them.

More than three months after the distribution of the pins, MalaysiaNow's observations at more than 10 schools in the Klang Valley have found that the majority of students do not wear them.

Questions were also raised about the award of tenders, with the education ministry urged to be transparent about the suppliers involved.

Education activists from the Melaka Parents' Education Action Group (Magpie) said Fadhlina was unfit to continue as education minister, and that the RM8.4 million figure for the pins was evidence of her failure in her role.

"What we find unreasonable is the fact that the government's price is more or less the same as the market price, and some are even selling the pins for much cheaper," said Magpie chairman Mak Chee Kin.

"In bulk purchases on a scale of millions of units, the price should drop to around 30 sen per piece."

Mak said that funds of that magnitude would be better spent on improving infrastructure and facilities at schools, especially in the rural areas.

He also criticised the ministry for introducing the initiative without first discussing it with stakeholders.

"The government should have talked with parents, teachers and schools before making the decision," he said.

Mak likewise asked how wearing such badges would increase patriotism among students.

"Where is the research? What is the proof of its impact? Has the ministry assessed its effectiveness?"

Adding that Fadhlina had not managed Zara's case well, he said the people had lost confidence in her leadership.

"For us, enough is enough. This education minister should resign," he said.

Yusof Suffian, who has three children at the primary and secondary school levels, expressed disappointment with the cost of the Jalur Gemilang pins.

Yusof, 46, said the funds should be used for programmes that truly benefit the students and schools.

The e-hailing driver cited the government's previous announcement that it would improve the toilets in schools.

"But I don't see any improvements in my kids' school," he said.  

He also cited the government's supplementary food plan, the quality of which he said should be improved.

"They should provide more nutritious food, and more options instead of prioritising badges," he said.

He said if patriotism was an issue, schools could conduct field trips to places of historical significance, or plan other activities of the sort.

"Instead, what we see is that funds which should be channelled to other programmes are allocated for matters with no benefit at all."

Yusof said the general perception of the badge initiative was that it was meant to benefit certain parties.

"Does the government want to enrich its croneys? Looks like that's the case," he said.

Nurin Nazir, who has two children in primary and secondary school, said the badge issue raised questions about the government's true purpose.

"Patriotism is not measured by what pins we wear, but our sense of duty to the country," she said.

She also said that the ministry's policy on the matter was unclear, as many students at her child's school did not wear the pins.