Khairy made the revelation in the latest Keluar Sekejap podcast episode aired on Tuesday, 30 July, where he and his co-host Shahril Sufian Hamdan discussed the recent controversy surrounding an alcohol company fundraising for SJK(C) Tche Min in Sungai Pelek, Selangor.

In the 15-minute discussion, Khairy explained that receiving donations from alcohol companies is more nuanced than simply being wrong.

Drawing an example from his time as youth and sports minister, he said Sports Toto donated to the NSC but without an official cheque presentation ceremony. He added that the donation was documented in the gambling company’s financial statement.

“I never attended an event to receive a contribution cheque from Sports Toto.

“But we did receive it, and it was for health purposes as well as sports. NSC involves all Malaysian athletes,” he said.

However, speaking as a former health minister, Khairy said schools should not be associated with alcohol and cigarette companies.

He believed that the issue only became a controversy because the alcohol company handed a mock cheque for RM3 million bearing the company’s logo at the school.

Khairy said the alcohol company should have donated the money quietly, without expecting media coverage or public recognition, but purely out of the kindness of the company.

He then questioned the Education Ministry’s guidelines for receiving funds from alcohol, cigarette, and gambling companies, asking whether schools are outright prohibited from receiving such donations or just from publicising the receipt of these donations.

“So the question is whether the government wants to take the attitude of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’,” he said.

Earlier, Khairy disclosed that SJK(C) Tche Min is a semi-private school and that they had no choice but to seek funding from public and private companies for school improvement projects.

Citing arguments made by netizens and various parties, he pointed out that since SJK(C) Tche Min does not receive funding from the government, it is unclear on what grounds should they be prevented from seeking funding from alcohol companies.

Khairy and Shahril continued to discuss the nuances of the issue, urging the government to clarify the ambiguity in the guidelines.