Were there “fireworks” in the Cabinet this morning as a result of the outrageous episode at SK Putrajaya Presint 14 (1) yesterday, where in honour of the visit by the Federal Territories Minister, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, hundreds of pupils and teachers were required to participate in a “class decoration and performance” competition with the theme “Umno and Independence”, where Umno flags were draped all over the primary school’s compound and the pupils brandished Umno flags and crooned the party’s anthem.

At one point, a banner with the words “Hidup Umno, Hidup Melayu. Dulu, Kini dan Selamanya” (Long Live Umno, Long Live Malays. Before, Now and Forever) appeared on stage.

There would be “fireworks” in the Cabinet this morning if we have an upright, honest and dedicated Education Minister who take his education portfolio seriously, and who will not brook any Minister trespassing into his portfolio to corrupt the minds of young Malaysians, and a Cabinet of Ministers who have not lost the basic value of being able to distinguish between right and wrong – and what Tengku Adnan did yesterday were positively wrong, no question about it.

Such an Education Minister and Cabinet of Ministers would have “fried” Tunku Adnan for his gross misdemeanours at the SK Putrajaya Presint 14 (1) requiring the student and teachers to stage such a vaudeville and even worse, his open begging of teachers to join UMNO!

In fact, a honest and self-respecting Education Minister would not only have demanded a public apology from Tengku Adnan, but would have asked Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to penalise Tengku Adnan by transferring him out of Federal Territories Ministry to an even-less important Ministry or out of the Cabinet altogether.

What did the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Madzir Khalid do at the Cabinet this morning?

There would be no “fireworks” in the Cabinet this morning if the Education Minister and all other Ministers see nothing wrong in the SK Putrajaya Presint 14 (1) episode, having all lost the sense of being able to differentiate right from wrong, and in fact, all enjoying the “brickbats” flying around since the Putrajaya school episode in Ministerial camaraderie – regarding them as “great fun”!

Or are all the Ministers a little afraid of Tengku Adnan, as he is not only UMNO Secretary-General but also Barisan Nasional Secretary-General, not a person to offend at this time as they want to be in his “good books” because the 14th General Election is around the corner and they do not want to spoil their chances to become BN candidates?

A final thought – was the UMNO escapade at the Putrajaya national school yesterday all because former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad might stand as a candidate in Putrajaya or Langkawi in the 14GE?