‘WWIII would break out’, teacher absenteeism trial told

KOTA KINABALU: A High Court here which heard that a teacher absenteeism trial on Tuesday, was informed that a “Third World War would break out” after the case went viral in 2018.

A key witness told Justice Datuk Ismail Brahim that one of the teachers at a secondary school in Kota Belud told her that Third World War would start as the said teacher claimed this case was a national security threat.

Under examination-in-chief by counsel Shireen Sikayun, the witness gave the answer when she was asked to summarise a recorded conversation between her and the teacher.

To a question, the witness explained that the teacher claimed the absenteeism case was a security threat because the district education office, state Education Department and also the government were sued by a student.

The witness further said that the teacher had cried and sought sympathy allegedly because she was afraid to be transferred to an interior school and left her only daughter in Kota Belud.

“The teacher knew she was wrong for not taking action against the first defendant, Mohd Jainal Jamran, in 2015,” claimed the witness.

The sole plaintiff for this suit, Siti Nafirah Siman, 23, had named Mohd Jainal, Hj Suid Hj Hanapi (sued in his capacity as school’s principal), Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taun Gusi, District Education Officer of Kota Belud, Director of Education Sabah, Director General of Education Malaysia, Minister of Education Malaysia and Government of Malaysia as first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth defendants respectively.

In her suit, Siti Nafirah claimed that the first defendant had allegedly failed to teach the English Language subject to her and her classmates during his assigned periods or timetable for the academic year of 2015.

Siti Nafirah also claimed that the other defendants had allegedly failed to take action against the first defendant for his alleged failure to teach her and her classmates.

The plaintiff was represented by Shireen. Senior Federal Counsel Jesseca Daimis and Federal Counsel Mohd Fazriel Fardiansyah Abdul Kadir acted for all the defendants.

Meanwhile, counsel Datin Mary Florence Gomez (Sabah Law Society’s Women and Children’s Rights Sub-Committee chairperson) and Yannik Mohd Annuar held a watching brief for the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

The trial will resume on April 24.