KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 — The MIC demanded that the federal government take action against a Muslim school principal in Selangor who had allegedly called the Indian community “pariahs” during a school assembly this morning.
MIC vice-president Datuk S.K. Devamany said today that he was “saddened” by reports of SMK Taman Tasik Ampang headmistress Zaini Mohd Zin’s conduct, despite the fact that principals and teachers in government schools have been warned to be extra careful with what they say in public.
He said Zaini’s actions showed that some school principals remained “unrepentant” and insensitive to other races.
“We do not condone this type of action. We do not want our 1 Malaysia image to be tarnished.
“I urge the Education Ministry to take serious action against principals and teachers guilty of racism or insensitive to the government’s efforts to make schools the place to cultivate the 1 Malaysia spirit,” said Devamany (picture) in a statement.
The deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department added that school principals should stop “harping” on racial sentiments for personal agendas or “hidden interests.”
Zaini has, however, told The Malaysian Insider that while she admitted to using the word once during her speech, she had merely been quoting from the controversial “Interlok” novel.
“I was explaining to students about the importance of excelling in the history subject and it was then that I referred to the ‘Interlok’ novel.
“I quoted from the novel, mentioning that the reason why the Indians were unhappy with the book was because of the word. I do not even dare to repeat the word now,” she said when contacted.
Zaini claimed that the words had been taken out of context to mean that she was insulting the community by calling them “pariahs” and low class.
She said she was willing to apologise over the incident and revealed that she would clarify the matter during school assembly next Monday.
“I am also writing a letter now to the Selangor and federal education departments,” she said.
Word of the incident spread like wildfire this morning as SMSes began circulating that Zaini had insulted the Indian community by accusing them of being in the lower caste and calling them “pariahs”.
The MIC has demanded that the word “pariah” be dropped from the novel “Interlok”, written by national laureate Datuk Abdullah Hussein.
The party has sent a five-member panel to discuss with the Education Ministry over the usage of the word in the novel, which is being used as a literature textbook for Form Five.
“The MIC through a special panel is empowered to end the issues raised in ‘Interlok’,” said Devamany. - Malaysian Insider
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