‘Racist’ teacher transferred

The teacher in the alleged racist row is likely to be transferred to her hometown in Kuala Terengannu.

GEORGE TOWN: The secondary school teacher embroiled in an alleged racial row with Form five students of the George Town school is all set for a transfer to another school.

This morning the teacher, Sabariah Ramli, 29, packed her belongings in SMK George Town and drove out of the school at 11am.

Last week the state education department said that Sabariah has agreed to a transfer to another school probably in her hometown Kuala Terengganu.

Previously the department claimed Sabariah requested for a transfer because she could not face the same students, who accused her of uttering the words “Hindu Pariah” at them.

Sabariah apparently uttered the term, considered offensive and sensitive by the Indian community, against Form Five “Tabah” students after an examination on May 9.

But the department claimed Sabariah had only uttered the word “India” and had duly apologised for it.

Meanwhile, this morning, school principal Farah Syikh Abd Rahman refused to accept a five-point memorandum from a group of former George Town school students.

An ex-student R Revinthiran said that Farah told them to handover the memorandum to the education department instead.

“She was more interested to know who incited them to submit a memorandum.She was not interested to look into out grouses,” Revinthiran told FMT.

In the memorandum, the ex-students have criticised Farah’s “mishandling” of the whole affair and demanded for Sabariah to be suspended immediately.

They ticked off the school’s senior assistant in charge of students’ affairs, Lau Siew Ho for not investigating students’ complaints against Sabariah.

The memorandum called on the state education department to probe the students complaints .

Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh, Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer, Hindraf Makkal Sakti’s P Waythamoorthy and several Indian NGOs all have criticised Sabariah for the alleged racist remarks.

Although they demanded for Sabariah to be suspended pending an investigation, the department did not take any disciplinary action against her.

Karpal and Waythamoorthy have also called on the police and Attorney General to charge the teacher for sedition.