Teacher in racism row replaced

PORT DICKSON: A chief invigilator who allegedly uttered racist remarks before about 200 students in a school here during an SPM examination last week has been replaced.

The duties of the female teacher, from SM Radin in Lukut near here, has been taken over by another teacher from SM Dato’ Abdul Samad.

It was learnt that she was replaced a day after the alleged incident was reported.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the invigilator was suspended immediately after the incident.

“In this case, even if action has been taken after the incident, the Examination Syndicate director has already told me that this person will not carry out her duties as an invigilator.

“So, let the Education Minis­try officer handle this,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.

He added that a special committee, which was already in existence, would look into the allegations.

“For every case, we have a system. We lodge a report to the committee, hand it over and it will review it.

“So, it’s in the reviewing stage now,” he said.

The teacher, who was overseeing students at SM Raja Jumaat in Lukut, had allegedly told them that they should go back to either China or India if they did not understand Bahasa Malaysia.

She was apparently making an announcement when a group of students began making noise.

When she told them to be silent, they ignored her.

It was then she made the remarks.

A police report was lodged the following day after the students notified their parents about the incident.

The teacher has since apologised to the students.

Teluk Kemang MIC division head Velu Munusamy said disciplinary action must be taken against the invigilator for being insensitive.

“The ministry must investigate the claim and take the necessary action.

“Replacing her is not enough,” he said.

Velu said MIC state chief Datuk V. S. Mogan would be meeting state education director Abdul Halim Abdul Razak over the matter.

by SARBAN SINGH and TEH ENG HOCK

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/12/1/nation/7531276&sec=nation