Don't Sweep it Under the Carpet - Punish Her!

Good day! Some readers were kind enough to remind me that I had not posted any article for more then a week. Thanks. I was busy with office work and the Rebranding MIC Workshops that I was unable to pen my thoughts on recent developments.

Two issues have cropped up in the last 10 days. The first is the racial slurs by a school teacher in S.M. Teluk Panglima Garang, Banting. The other is the demonstration by certain groups against Bar Council's open Forum on Conversion.

Racist Remarks

I heard of the first issue a few days before it was exposed in the media. The newly appointed MIC Youth Education Bureau Chairman, Mr. M. Saravanan (not the Deputy Minister YB DatoSaravanan) brought to my attention the concerns of some parents from SM Teluk PanglimaGarang about a certain teacher who had repeatedly scolded students with racist remarks and used harsh punishment methods.

Saravanan was given a free hand to handle the issue. After discussing with the parents, he brought NTV7 together with other members of the media that cared to come to the school. I believe some NGOs were also involved. What the teacher said and did is well known by now and there is no need to repeat it here.

Subsequent to the exposure, other political big guns descended on the issue and attempted to settle the matter with a handshake. That's the Malaysian spirit! Settle a matter with a handshake... or are we sweeping dirt under the carpet?

Here is a teacher who has been entrusted to educate and nurture our children to be good citizens. She is not an ordinary lady, sorry, woman that we bumped into at the pasar malam and shouted racial abuses at us. She is a teacher. A role model. Paid salary with the tax-payers money. Our money.

The latest I heard was that she will be transferred to a nearby school and from what I understand, a school of equal standing with the one that she is being transferred away from.

How is transfer a solution when she has not been punished for her transgression? She actually got away scot-free! People are given the impression that action has been taken when no real action has been taken. What assurance do we have that she will not repeat it at the new school? Transfer her again?

As I write, the MIC Youth Education Bureau will be calling for a press conference together with the parents and the PIBG representatives to demand that disciplinary action be taken against the teacher. Hopefully, the non-Tamil media will also carry the story.

So far the teacher had not denied her action nor openly apologized for it. That being the case, how are we to tolerate or condone such racial remarks from a teacher? She had breached the Government's Standing Order and as a government servant, disciplinary action must be taken against her. What message are we sending to our students? What is the signal we are sending to other civil servants by our inaction?

On the same issue, another cause for concern is the deafening silence by our Malays brothers both from BN and BR. We could have sent a clear signal that we are moving away from racial politics if any of our Malay brothers had stood up and said what she did was wrong. As simple as that. Please tell me if there had been any such statement as I could have missed it.

Although the issue might be viewed as minor by some, MIC Youth had taken a stand on it. We have for far too long settled problems with a handshake without dealing with the real issue. Unresolved issues will rear its ugly head as another problem at another time.

Acts of Hooliganism

Another issue that had cropped up is the demonstration and the disruption by certain groups against the Bar Council's Forum on Conversion. MIC Youth had taken a stand on this issue. The National Youth Coordinator, Mr. T.Mohan had issued a strong press statement against such unruly and unlawful disruption against a peaceful and open discussion. No one is questioning Islam. Bar Council merely organized the forum to enable scholars, lawyers and members of public to air their views and give their opinions. Surely we can discuss issues in a civilized and educated manner without having hooligans disrupting our forum.

Mr T.Mohan had also challenged Hindraf to make a stand on BR MPs that took part in such unruly behavior against an open forum.

The above two issues, thou unrelated, shows a worrying trend in our national integration. Those with moral courage must stand up and be counted. We can't afford to allow the extremist view of a few to move the Nation away from the centre of racial harmony. I would like to hear your views on this. Thanks.

Murugesan Sinnandavar