NGO hits out at racist ‘venomous’ principal
By Free Malaysia Today
KUALA LUMPUR: A local “racial unity” NGO has condemned the recent alleged racist remarks by the school principal of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra in Kulai, Johor. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM) said its members were appalled that such “venomous bigotry… has emanated from an educator entrusted with shaping the character of our Anak Bangsa Malaysia”.
“We are saddened that the alleged remarks go against the very precepts of Rukunegara that schoolchildren have been religiously reciting for the past 40 years,” said SABM in a statement.
“It is equally distressing to note that she is the head of the school that carries the name of our beloved Bapa Malaysia!”
SABM also condemned the initial response from the Ministry of Education in saying that the incident was a “misunderstanding” arising from “miscommunication”.
However, SAMB welcomed the ministry’s move to establish a task force to investigate the incident following widespread public outcry.
“We hope that the task force will conduct a full, fair and transparent investigation and the report will be made public. We call upon the government to take expeditious action in implementing the recommendations of the task force,” said SABM.
“We urge all Malaysians to send a clear and unequivocal message that we as a civilized society will not condone any form of racism, which seems to have reared its ugly head in recent times in our beloved land.”
In the incident on Aug 12, SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra principal Siti Inshah Mansor allegedly uttered derogatory, offensive, insensitive and racist statements against non-Malay Muslim pupils during the launching of the school’s national day celebrations.
The principal was reported to have said that “Chinese students should go back to China” and likened Indian students to “dogs”.
