Teacher 'slapped' by ministry over Orang Asli row

Action has been taken against the teacher who slapped four 12-year-old non-Muslim Orang Asli pupils last month for allegedly not reciting a ‘doa' (Islamic prayer) before lunch.

Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong, while winding-up the committee stage debate on Budget 2013 yesterday, however, fell short of spelling out exactly what actions were taken.

"Investigations were made and yes, it had happened and we have taken action," he said.

Replying to a matter raised by Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong), he however noted that the ministry was empowered to take disciplinary action.

"We can use prevailing procedure to take action, including investigate (the matter) and give warnings...

"If a crime has been committed, the matter is left to the police to investigate and I understand a police report has been lodged," he said.

Wee's statement contradicts that of Rural and Regional Affairs Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal who had earlier denied that the children were slapped and said the issue was politicised.

Apology issued

The four SK Bihai Standard 6 students were slapped on Oct 23, prompting their fathers to make a three-hour journey from their village to the Gua Musang police station to lodge a report.

The school is located in the Kelantan interiors, close to the Kelantan-Perak border, and has exclusively non-Muslim Orang Asli students.

Section 17 of the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 states that no Orang Asli child should be obliged to receive religious teachings, without prior consent from the parents.

Section 17(3) states that any person contravening this faces a fine not exceeding RM500.

The ministry, the Kelantan Education Department and Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) had apologised to the family for the incident last week.

However, they claimed that the children were told to pray not necessarily in the Islamic way, as a form of good practice.