Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Wow…can’t believe Star (online version) printed this. I wonder what will come out in the print edition tomorrow.
If this can be proven, the teacher must be sacked. Nothing less is demanded. For a FEMALE HISTORY teacher, its unforgivable. ISA is also an option to be further explored.
The parents must also initiate legal action. Many lawyers (HINDRAF, Pakatan, and BN) should waiting with glee at this opportunity. I love to see Kavyeas or Murugesan take on this path if the parents and students are interested. Dare or not? A hefty fine is expected. About RM10 million will do. The money can be used to set up fund for the school’s students.
No need for some publicity stunt where teacher apologises and gets off with a slap on the wrist.
I doubt that this is a simple matter blown up or even false information because it happened in class, in front of many students. Judging from the report, it happened more than once.
I also wonder how can a female teacher hit secondary school students. Isn’t such powers only given to discplinary teachers and headmasters?
Is it a case of provocation by students until the teacher erupted? Still, it highly improbable that it can happen on two different days.
The article is by Wani Muthiah and Gladys Tay:
About 500 angry parents and other members of the Indian community
gathered outside a secondary school here on Monday to protest racial
slurs and abuse allegedly uttered by a teacher against Indian students
recently.The crowd began gathering outside SMK Telok Panglima
Garang’s main entrance near here at noon and dispersed about two hours
later.The headmaster was on leave, so some teachers accepted on
his behalf copies of police reports made by a Form Four student and a
Form Five student. According to the police reports, the female history
teacher had allegedly called Indian students in a Form Four and a Form
Five class ‘keling pariah’, ‘Negro’, ‘black monkeys’ as well as other
derogatory names.The teacher had also purportedly said that
‘Indians came from dogs’ and the community members were stupid and
prone to thuggery and thievery.The police reports also alleged
that the teacher had said that Indians were the ‘children of
prostitutes’ and the community’s youths ‘did not have testicles’ on
July 17 and 22, and had also purportedly beaten up some Indians
students.The Form Four student also alleged in his report that
the teacher had written the word ‘keling pariah’ on the board and lost
her cool when the Indian students in the class told her that they did
not like being called names.Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs
secretary Gunaraj George, who was among those who handed over the
police reports, said that exposure to such abuse would only breed
hatred and racial polarisation in schools.“No one in his or her
right frame of mind would have said these things. Given this, the best
option would be for the teacher to be assigned to a desk job and not be
allowed to be near youngsters anymore,” he said.Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong said the schoolteacher might be sacked if the allegations proved true.
The
allegations were serious as no one was allowed to insult others,
especially in a school environment, said Dr Wee, who was asked to
comment on the incident when visiting a nine-year-old accident victim
at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru.He added that the ministry was awaiting an official report before taking any action.
Wow….this is bad…If this is true, she must be sacked. And made an example to other racist teachers elsewhere. Education Ministry should not cover it up but take stern action and send a clear message.
But before jumping the gun, I think we also need to find out what made this teacher to resort to such vulgar and crude racist remarks. That this came from a lady teacher is even more puzzling. Knowing Indian students, we need to explore the angle if she was provoked or abused. If she was the students involved must be disciplined as well. However even if there was some fault on the students, there is no justification for her alleged behavior.
Since some of my family members are/ were teachers in secondary schools (I taught in a Tamil school), I am fully aware of the terrible behaviour of the Indian students in schools, including the girls. Their behaviour tend to be even worse than other races. Some of the stories are unbelivable, no doubt influenced by Tamil movies.
“Their behaviour tend to be even worse than other races”. well, I think the behavior is independent of race. My friends who are teachers (i think every malaysian will know at least 2 school teacher!) complain on Chinese girls, malay girls, indian boys, etc.
count me in , i’ve teacher friends as well . Anyone else ?
“well, I think the behavior is independent of race”.
====================================================
Well I was a teacher myself and I have tons of teacher friends and relatives in the secondary schools. I wish and hope I could say the same myself but sadly I can’t.
Just look around in terms of gangsterism and petty crimes and also the gangsters’ resort known as Hotel Simpang Renggam and tell me which race is the top. Also look at the police records on the race which commits the most violent crimes.
Killer,
no matter how bad their behaviour was – the teacher has no right to do this to them. If they were so uncontrolable, she should have just mooted for expulsion. I am surprised at your stance more so that you were a teacher.
Meenachi
I am Indian myself and I am not exactly proud of this achievement either. But truth is often unpalatable and hurts. Accept it and work to improve it.
oh ic . That means anyone can stop by to beat the hell out of any Indians ….. ?
No.. wrong. i think what killer means is we all have some hatred in each other. at least you might hate malays already.
It is not easy to remove hatred once it is planted. So imo, the only things we should do is not affect our children with our hatred. Let them grow clean. So that hopefully in the future more people are no longer racist. Let it stop here. Damage is done in our time.
in the mean time let us all do not provoke anything.
Good . At least someone rationale . I dont hate Malays as i have good friends whom are against racism even among Malays and umno . This is called ‘rationale’ . That is the minimum expectation in a multi-ethnic society .
One simple Q to you , Mr.Malay . Do you agree with the so-called punishment given to that teacher ?
MP: edited.
Can anyone pls post the teachers picture. I might want to go to the school and show her my t*******. Maybe then she might belive that indians have it too.
Killer,
its not the truth that I’m disputing. I am saying that the teacher should kick the students out of school if they were thugs instead of calling the entire community vicious names. Are you actually saying that a teacher can verbally abuse students who are indisciplined?
Meenachi
If it is true that the teacher did this, then he/she must be punished to the severest extent of the law and perhaps even sacked and subject to criminal proceedings. However, I would like to caution and let an independent investigation conclude what had happened.
hmmm, any respond from “Lord of The Indians” ?
Why sack, she should be charged in court, sacked and banned from employment or any public service or even to do any registered business!!!
During my secondary school, there were a lot of chinese, indian and malay teachers, if i were to separate in percentages it would be malay 50% – Chinese 35% – Indian 15% but now
It’s like 92.3% UMNO line-up!!!!
Please, can you all refrain from making any disparaging remarks? The Deputy Education Minister has promised an inquiry. Even before that takes place, you guys, in typical ‘Indian mentality’ fashion have suggested reasons which the accused and her sympathisers can actually pick up and use. Thanks a lot lah! I don’t think other races will actually be so forthcoming, even if they were eyewitness to any wrongdoing, they will never give away their own kind. Let’s face it: the Chinese or Malays would have by now kicked up such a big fuss if they were the affected party. Back to the issue: Two wrongs don’t make a right. Therefore the teacher must be punished/reprimanded for what she has done. There are other ways she could have handled the indiscipline, if that was the issue. Many of us have suffered from acts of racism both at work and school (I personally can write a book (!) on the kind of racism faced, including at work in a large corporation, and at hospitals, stores, food outlets etc.), and our children continue to face bigots such as the history teacher in question, both in school and university, where they are humiliated in so many ways, both racial and religious, and being so helpless, they just accept it and carry on for fear of being penalised in other ways. It is also a bad example to children of other races who look and learn and think it is okay to insult us. Let this be a landmark case, where no racist is allowed to go scot free after insulting another race. Let us all rally our people through the alternative media and other means to send out a strong message. Only then can this problem be nipped. This is an age where developed countries of the world mete out severe punishment against racism and bigotry. Why can’t we advance to that stage? It can start right here, with us, so that our future generation may never be humiliated for being born of a particular race. At least, let us give our children’s children and legacy: that of having their dignity. And not to feel cursed to be born an Indian. Please, once again, I beg all of you, pass the message around. Unity is strength. We may be small in number, but did not little David trounce over mighty Goliath?
Jaya
I guess you had been missing my message. I had been saying that an independent investigation must be carried out and ALL guilty parties must be punished.
I disagree that we should protect our kind, that’s naked racism. If every race does this then we will have a big problem. We must always put justice and fairness above racial consideration.
Talking about racism, I face it even today, directly and indirectly. Both in Malaysia and overseas. But the important thing is to stand up and say your piece if you are discriminated against.
a laughable comment from Killer … “But the important thing is to stand up and say your piece if you are discriminated against ”
what we know MrKiller is against ‘speaking up’ all the while and merely continue life as dumb and deaf and continue to bend ourselves to discrimination .
MrKiller called those ‘speaking up’ as thugs , goondas and samadhi . Now he is saying we must speak up ! What a disgrace !
Bro
There is a different between speaking up and behaving like thugs…look up in the dictionary if you are unsure.
Dear Killer,
I’m sorry but I was not even addressing you in particular so I’m surprised that your comment is a reply to me. Nowhere in my comment have I suggested violent methods so I’m not sure where you got that from. I am one person who hates violence, abuse and victimisation of any kind, even if it is little boys playfully hitting one another! The whole incident stirs up deep-rooted emotions inside me because as I stated, being a victim and seeing my kids and other Indians being victimised, makes me angry that our system will continue to protect the perpetrators of such crime. Yes, it is a crime to insult a person’s race, religion or birth. Have you seen the kind of words they use to describe Indians in many of the online forums? I have, and it makes me both sad and very angry. What I said is that we should stand united and firm in pressing for very serious action to be taken against this teacher, so that every single person in this country will take note and understand the serious repurcussions of racist thoughts and actions. Why even today my teenage girl was insulted by a Chinese teacher in front of her peers and juniors (both male and female) and teachers. She spoke up to the teacher bravely, but at the end of the day, she is so so terribly hurt. How do I console her? And this is a school in the most urban part of KL!
To ‘parent’: If I am to tell you of all the ways we Indians are insulted every single day, and, speaking of school kids, if I am to tell you of all the demeaning, discriminating acts committed against my kids by their teachers over the years that has killed: their innocence, their initiative, their self-esteem, their will to perform, their desire to be a part of school activites etc etc etc, the list will be so long it can be a book! What I am calling for is for us to graduate and move on to first world mentality and thought, where everyone is equal, and no one will be a victim of racial profiling but will be treated with equal respect as a fellow human being. Please do not even begin to compare what happened to your son and this incident. Your racist mentality is obvious from the term “Indian Hindu English teacher” and from your comment, it is clear that this lady did not hurl racist/racially degrading accusations at your son such as what the History teacher at the school in Klang has admitted to uttering! And the sickeningly disgusting verdict (as I had expected): she gets transferred and referred for counselling!!! Reverse the roles of those involved and ask yourself: would the results be the same if the teacher had been an Indian and the students Malay?
To everyone: I repeat my belief that ‘Two wrongs don’t make one right”. If the students needed to be disciplined, by all means, discipline them. But not with a racist attack that targets their birth, their skin colour, faith and certainly not their mothers!
Jaya
My apologises. My post was also meant to answer you as well as some others who went rather over board with their comments.
I understand your frustations as I am involved in NGOs and come across such cases far more frequent than an average persons. I have written numerous letters in the alternative media such as Mkini in the last several years.
However, we must understand that such racism is not an one-way street. It is not just Indians suffer such taunts but other races too. For example have you seen how some people comments about the Malays in their blog postings and alternative media ?
As Malaysians we must ensure that people with such racist thinking are not accepted and punished severely. We must demand that the MOE must be transparent and also put in preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
We also must teach our kids to respect other races and beliefs.
I agree with Killer on this one. Its not about racism – its about the poor conduct of a teacher.
1. 2years ago, during Ramathan, an Indian Hindu English teacher hurled strong degrading words to my son, and ordered that he ‘break his fast’..Batalkan Puasa Awak, HATI AWAK BUSUK!!! And she forced my son to sweep the whole classroom.
2. She refused to read my letter requesting for an explaination, of what actually took place, even I requested she call me, bluntly told that she was too busy to entertain…
3. I asked my son to see her for clarification the next day. And this happened just 2day before a very major examination!!! Arrogantly she told my son that she studied some psychology and just by looking at my son’s face, she can know that he was ARROGANT, HATI BUSUK, INSINCERE AND MUST BE A SCHOOL BULLY? Please note, she had never taught my son, nor knew him at all…. todate, this teacher is STILL TEACHING IN THIS SAME SCHOOL.
5.. My son is a orphan, and his late father was once an Estate Manager of a large plantation where 80% workers and employees are from the Indian community. We also join the Hindus in the estate in their Pungal and Thaipusam celebrations. My maids, my garderners and the gatekeeper, were all Indians.
6. In short, I had the opportunity to live and MIX with them and am very observant with their daily ways of life and customs. To educate my son on tolerance, I showed him pictures from my album (History of the estate since 1908), showing the conditions of life during the early days and how the Indian community were treated by the British Masters. Pictures are louder than words.
7. Should you take action to remove THE HISTORY Teacher, I would like your help to also see to it that this ENGLISH TEACHER accorded the same punishment. She was disrespectful of ISLAM and try to TEACH MY SON TO GO AGAINST THE TEACHINGS OF ISLAM.
Keadilan
Agreed with you. We should NOT allow our ethnicity to colour our sense of justice and fairness. I have seen racist behaviour from every race in Malaysia and it is not limited to any one race.
few things that happened in my school days
you will see how these teachers will down grade other religions and race.
1. a teacher will give “salam” and follow by a wish
“dan selamat pagi kepada yang bukan lagi beragama ISLAM”
ok..what they mean there? are they telling us one day we will be ISLAM?
That show’s their indirect approach toward racism.
2. I even had experienced when I was 11 years old, a small malay boy called me “KELING”. I know the small boy, the boy told me his mohter thought him like that.
Whose fault is that?
p/s: i also have few Malay friends that respect my religion. so ,not all of them like that but most of them
Dear bro
1. Such things happen all the time and you are the only person I have ever come across to interpret in such negative way.
2. Happened to me too. But ask your self how many times yourself or other Indians used the word “naataan” and other similar words on Malays ? I can speak some Mandarin and I can tell you that the many Chinese use such words on others all the time too. The only diffrence is that we can understand Malay and catch that.
The issue here is racism exist across all races. Let’s start being non-racial ourselves first and then send a message of ZERO TOLERANCE to others too.
I have no view on this matter,I leave it to the effected party’s whatever action to be taken.I think the teacher should be terminated from her role as a teacher.The ministry should impose guide-line’s to ensure the educationist community adhere to this protocol.As,for the legal action,it will get messy.If the punishment had been vetted out for teacher.They would also look at the track record of the teacher and pupils.How long the teacher is teaching?Has she encountered any such similar event’s?what are this student’s characterstic? what type of student’s are they?Did they have any disciplinary problems? (first of all,as a indian I feel offended by those remark’s made by the teacher,but what type of teacher of right mind would say such a thing?…unless these two kid’s are really problem child! yes,what she say is wrong.why she said those words to the two student’s not other indian students in her class? she can also change her statement,saying that she was pressured by the
govt to concede and she can also engage a lawyer to defend herself.IF this case ever
make it to the court’s,it will sure raise up the tempreature between two commuinty’s.
If relation’s had been bad,it’s about to get worse
please do not jump the gun.
this teacher may be suffering from mental problem.
cool head must prevail.
majority of malaysians are peace loving
and will not resort to names calling.
may god bless us all.
in that case, the ministry should order for an immediate psychiatric evaluation and put her on medical leave instead of transferring her to another school.
agree. perhaps she should be taught further about her religion. She is not even wearing tudung. the outside reflects what is inside, her heart is dry. This kind of person usually dont even have good relation with others, even fellow teachers. They are very self important, think highly of themselves and others inferior.
i really would like a feedback from her fellow teacher, what kind of person she is.
on the other hand, i suggest all teacher-producing institution to introduce a subject specifically educating & preaching the teachers on racial integration. What if you are born indian? Malay? chinese? dayak? how you like to be treated? So treat other like how you like to be treated.
See below NST report,
Racial abuse teacher gets ‘a better deal’
BANTING: It obviously pays to hurl racial abuse at students, going by what happened to the teacher who did so at a school here.
The 35-year-old history teacher from SM Telok Panglima Garang was not only transferred to a smart school but to one located nearer her house.
To add insult to injury, no disciplinary action was taken against her.
It is understood that her letter of transfer stated that she was being transferred due to concerns for her security and not because she had committed an offence.
Several parents and non-governmental organisations gathered in front of the school yesterday demanding an explanation from the headmaster for letting her off with just a slap on the wrist.
However, the headmaster refused to meet them, saying the matter was no longer related to the school since the teacher had been transferred.
Coalition of Indian NGOs secretary G. Gunaraj said the transfer showed the teacher had got away scot-free.
“In fact, she even got a better deal. She is now in a better school and one that is nearer to her house.”
He said this set a dangerous precedent as others may think they too can get away scot-free uttering racial slurs.
He said the Education Ministry should be serious in tackling the issue as what the teacher had done could affect racial harmony.
Gunaraj said some teachers in the school were blaming the affected students for lack of a history teacher.
“This should not be the case. Does it mean that students should keep quiet, no matter what a teacher does?”
In the incident last month, the teacher allegedly told students of a certain ethnic group in a Form Four class that she “wanted to test their level of patience” and then began abusing them with derogatory words.
She even wrote the words on the blackboard. Two students later lodged police reports against her.
Several days earlier, she had allegedly entered a Form Five class and called the students using a derogatory word. She also accused them of being gangsters and thieves.
She was also alleged to have ordered the boys to do push-ups. When some of them could not do so, she allegedly stomped on their backs.
Last Monday, nearly 500 parents and members of the public gathered to protest in front of the school.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the ministry had instructed the State Education Department to initiate an inquiry and that the teacher “had some explaining to do”.
State Education director Ashah Samah said she had wanted to transfer the person out of the state but had acceded to a request from the teacher to remain in the district.
She said the transfer letter was issued by the district education department and that she would investigate claims that security had been stated as the reason for the move.
CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHETHER OUR FUTURE STILL HAVE HOPE WITH THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM?
http:\\danielngsh.blogspot.com
This article obviously misleading, choosing to report accusations from the NGO head rather than getting all facts from all side. Perhaps it shows the reporter in question is inexperienced or our journalistic standards have fallen to the level of tabloids and political garbage sheets like Harakah.
It is usual in any case of investigation, a govt officer is temporarily transferred out of her/his current job pending action. This does not mean that person got a better deal as it was stated here. And how would the reporter made the assumption that the teacher’s letter stated “security” as reason without giving any source ?
In any case, I think MOE must make this as a test case where it makes its stand against racism of all kinds in our school. I expect more just action but also some other measures in place (policy, guidance, ethical standards and disciplinary procedures) to be clearly defined via circulars and documented.
Anyway I would like to share here the view of someone I respect deeply, Dr Chandra in today’s NST.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Letters/2319074/Article/pppull_index_html
Dear all
I believe this all take origins from how we educate our children. The abusive teacher once a children too, her racist tendency could stem from parent and her environment & past experience. Only religion will stop this madness.
Would you think the truly pious will abuse each other, though not of the same religion? My answer is no, becoz religion is about peace for individual and the whole world.
So start educate your childs to be religious. stop inserting racist type of anything into their education. Ensure your child to be respectful of everyone, EVERYONE. Religion is also about respecting others (includes respecting other religion).
If we add fire to an already burning house, it will quickly burnt. Add water (religion), fire will die.