Act quickly against educators who exceed their authority – PBS
PAPAR: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) secretary general Datuk Joh n ny Mosit u n wa nts t he state education director to act quickly and firmly against teachers and school officials who exc e e d t hei r aut hor it y and act beyond the limits of propriety.
Mosit u n sa id he was not opposed to anyone converting to Islam or any other religion but such a n i mpor t a nt t h i ng should be done in a proper manner with full observance of social norms and upholding of family values.
“Being educated people entrusted with teaching our children proper values a nd r e sp e c t for t he l aw, t he school principal and teachers concerned should have handled the matter in a humane and compassionate manner.
“A f ter a l l, it is a mat ter for t he st udent a nd her fa m i ly, affecting their lives not just for now but till the end of their d ays i n t h i s world. But t hey seem oblivious or unconcerned ab out t he ment a l st res s a nd problems they have caused to a whole family,” he said.
Mositu n, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the State L eg i sl at ive A s sembly, wa s comment ing on the case of a 16-year-old student of SM K K inar ut who was controversially converted to I sl a m by a for mer hostel wa rden w it hout her fa m i ly’s knowledge or consent.
He added the parents of t he st udent conc er ne d were distraught and traumatised, and offended at the way in wh ich t he school aut hor it ies seemed so unwilling to let the family sort things out properly as a family should.
“Anyway, I hope the education director will impress upon all principals and teachers the need to conduct themselves with decorum and full observance of the country’s laws and con f ine themselves to teaching and instilling good family values in their students and respect for their own parents.
“Matters of rel ig ion and conversion shou ld be left to the relig ious author it ies,” he said, adding that the school principal should also be in the know of what is happening in the school.
He said the police and Education Department needed to conduct a thorough i nvest igat ion for the sake of justice and restoring public confidence in the administration of schools in the state and country.
“The police cannot just say that the student is not a Musl im and leave it at t hat. T he st udent ’s rel ig ious status is not for the police to determine but that of the religious authorities and courts,” he said.
But having said that, he said the police still cannot wash their hands of the matter bec au se whet her or not t he conversion is valid, the police are duty-bound to investigate the school authorities. They must determine if the teacher or teachers concerned had violated the law.
“They cannot be let of f scot free if they had broken the law. The director of education a l so h a s some ex pl a i n i n g to do,” Mositun said.
He expressed appreciation and gratitude to Papar member of pa rl iament Datu k Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, Kawang assembly man Datuk Gu lam Haidar Khan, numerous NGOs and i ndividuals and p ol it ici a n s who h ad v i sit e d and extended their sympathies and other forms of assistance to the student’s parents.
“This is a very poor family. The student and her three other sisters have no choice but to study in K inarut and stay in the school hostel. Now with all the pressure brought about by what has happened to their daughter, the parents have asked me to talk to the education authorities about transferring their children to another school.
“They feel a change of environment is necessary for their daughter and her siblings to get over this traumatic event,” he said.
Mositun said he was also touched by the dilapidated condition of the house where the student’s family lived in and had approached the District Officer to see what could be done to alleviate their problems.