MCA National Youth Chief Wee Ka Siong is ‘utterly disappointed’ at the lack of action taken by the Education Ministry or the Selangor Education Department against the headmaster of SK Seri Pristana amidst allegation of students being bullied.
Referring to the "exodus" of students from the school, with parents of 10 students transferring them out, Wee (left) said unless action is taken, this can be “misconstrued as ‘ethnic cleansing’ on the school’s part”.
Referring to the "exodus" of students from the school, with parents of 10 students transferring them out, Wee (left) said unless action is taken, this can be “misconstrued as ‘ethnic cleansing’ on the school’s part”.
In a statement, Wee said that while the "benefit of the doubt" can be given to the headmaster over the shower room-canteen incident, other incidents cannot be overlooked.
"(The ministry) must look into the allegations of severe bullying, ostracisation and racial slurs by both teachers and classmates towards the whistleblower's daughter, as well as to the children of the parents who had similarly lodged reports against the headmaster, although (he) denied such occurences," he said.
"(The ministry) must look into the allegations of severe bullying, ostracisation and racial slurs by both teachers and classmates towards the whistleblower's daughter, as well as to the children of the parents who had similarly lodged reports against the headmaster, although (he) denied such occurences," he said.
He was commenting on a report by The Malaysian Insider that the Selangor Education Department has decided against taking any action against headmaster Mohd Nasir Mohd Nor.
He also said that the ministry should also investigate claims that the school is allowing a "stranger" to take photographs of a certain race, as the presence of strangers in schools affects safety.
"What sort of guarantee can the school authorities give to ensure the photos are not misused?" he asked.
'Young children easily intimidated'
Wee, who is also former deputy education minister, further urged the ministry to probe claims that the school allowed police toquestion the students without parental knowledge, consent or presence.
He also said that the ministry should also investigate claims that the school is allowing a "stranger" to take photographs of a certain race, as the presence of strangers in schools affects safety.
"What sort of guarantee can the school authorities give to ensure the photos are not misused?" he asked.
'Young children easily intimidated'
Wee, who is also former deputy education minister, further urged the ministry to probe claims that the school allowed police toquestion the students without parental knowledge, consent or presence.
He said that although it was not a formal interrogation, the presence of uniformed police officers asking questions "can be intimidating for young children".
"These children have rights and do not deserve to be questioned as though they are criminals."
Malaysiakini had earlier reported that 10 Indian students have eithertransferred or are being transferred out of SK Seri Pristana by their parents.
Parents claim that the children are too terrified to go to school following incidents cited by Wee.
This happened after the expose by a parent that children were made to eat in a shower room that was converted into a dining room.
The school explained that the children ate in the shower room as the canteen was too small, and that non-Muslims ate there during Ramadan as the canteen was being renovated at the time.
Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan (right) has since dismissed the incident as a "small matter".
"These children have rights and do not deserve to be questioned as though they are criminals."
Malaysiakini had earlier reported that 10 Indian students have eithertransferred or are being transferred out of SK Seri Pristana by their parents.
Parents claim that the children are too terrified to go to school following incidents cited by Wee. This happened after the expose by a parent that children were made to eat in a shower room that was converted into a dining room.
The school explained that the children ate in the shower room as the canteen was too small, and that non-Muslims ate there during Ramadan as the canteen was being renovated at the time.
Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan (right) has since dismissed the incident as a "small matter".
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