Chinese boy at Islamic preschool in Malaysia wins hearts, stokes debate

A Chinese mother enrolling her toddler in an Islamic preschool, a move that remains uncommon in Malaysia, has sparked widespread attention and debate on social media.Chan Zhu Er, 31, said she enrolled her three-year-old son, Low Zi Kang, at a Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam in Chaah, Johor, when she returned to her hometown in November to attend to personal matters.“I brought my son along while my husband remained in Perak, so I needed temporary childcare support while I handled my commitments,” Chan said.“Chaah is a small town with only a handful of preschools and most of them cater to children aged four and above.“After asking around, only this place accepted my son. I also thought it would be good for him to mix with children from different backgrounds and learn Bahasa Malaysia at an early age,” she said.Chan began sharing short videos of her son’s preschool journey on social media to document his development.Known affectionately as Kang Kang by his teachers and classmates, the boy is often filmed wearing the green uniform and headgear.