I AM angry with parents of SK Taman Melawati II pupils who took it upon themselves to contact the New Straits Times, expressing their concern over the school’s allegedly lackadaisical approach to containing hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), of which five cases were reported but only four were confirmed.

My daughter is also a Year One pupil at the school and I felt a knot in my stomach when I read the report (”Taman Melawati school under watch” — NST, Aug 1).

Upon reading it carefully, I realised that everything was under control and this was further confirmed when I personally called the school and the Health Department.

This is exactly the problem with overzealous parents.

During the school’s parent- teacher association annual meeting earlier this year, the headmistress requested that all parents communicate directly with the school’s management if there were any issues, complaints or dissatisfaction.

The last thing she wanted were gung-ho parents using the media to air their grouses because the media will not necessarily be able to solve the problem at hand.

I went to the school the same evening to fetch my daughter just to have a first-hand look at the situation.

The majority of parents said they were aware of the HFMD case from NST but not worried at all because if there had been an outbreak, the school would have been closed already.

Several of the parents were doctors and they said there was absolutely nothing to worry about.

True to their words, the moment our children were released from school at 6.30pm that evening, all I saw were hundreds of bubbly and rosy 7 to 9-year-olds running happily to their waiting parents.

To the parents who contacted the media over this issue, I hope you know the consequences of your selfish action. SK Taman Melawati II is the best primary school in the Gombak district and a lot of parents would do anything to get their children enrolled there.

I have high confidence and faith in the capabilities of the school’s headmistress and teachers in taking care of our children. Don’t put this school in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.

After all, this is where our children get their education, unless you want to transfer them to another government school or better still, fork out a bomb to enrol them in a private school just five minutes away.

If not, let’s all agree that for now, SK Taman Melawati II is a good deal, so count your blessings instead.

RIDZUAN ZULKIFLI, Ulu Klang, Ampang

Source: NST – August 5, 2008