Mah told Malaysiakini that he had instructed the Johor Education Department to change the policy and remove all restrictions, calling the move a mistake by the school principal as it contradicts the National Education Blueprint.

“It is through sports activities that we can encourage integration. Students can play together and promote unity, camaraderie and the spirit of togetherness.”

Previously, school principal Abdul Razak Hamid had defended the move, telling FMT that the “conditions” were necessary because of the lack of sporting facilities for the students.

“We are a hockey school, so the existing field has to be used for that sport. So there is no other field that can be used for other sports.

“That is why we have to set conditions like that to attract Malay students who are not interested in sports to join the various clubs.”

According to the note originally issued by the school on the registration for co-curricular activities, the students’ choices for sports were limited to their race.

Football and sepak takraw were open for “Malay males only”, while the basketball club was reserved for “Chinese males and females”.

Hockey, meanwhile, was open only to students living in dorms, while only Malay girls could join the netball club.

Sports like handball, bowling, petanque and badminton, however, were open to all.