Review whistleblower policy to widen protection, education ministry told

 

The government must treat any form of retaliation against a whistleblower as a severe disciplinary offence, says education advocacy group Tiada.guru.

PETALING JAYA: The education ministry has been urged to review its policy on whistleblowers and extend protection to cover cases pending in court and before any tribunal, as well as disciplinary proceedings.

Education advocacy group Tiada.guru urged the government to issue a circular offering whistleblowers protection whenever they are required to testify in court.

It also urged the government to remind all ministry officials and staff that any form of retaliation against a whistleblower would constitute a severe disciplinary offence.

The group noted that the ministry’s whistleblower protection policy presently does not extend to cases pending before a court or tribunal.

Calling for amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, it said protection must also be available for those who seek legal advice or report matters to entities beyond the executive, including the media.

It also called for the establishment of an independent ombudsman to investigate severe misconduct among civil servants and impose appropriate disciplinary or legal measures, while protecting whistleblowers.

“We must protect Malaysia’s remaining heroes. Without whistleblowers, there is no ground truth about policies, ministries, agencies and institutions,” a Tiada.guru spokesman told FMT.

The group was commenting on a High Court decision to award damages of RM90,000 to three former students of SMK Taun Gusi in Kota Belud, Sabah, in their lawsuit against a former teacher and others for refusing to teach them English in 2017.

The plaintiffs said their teacher, Jainal Jamran, had been assigned to teach English thrice weekly from January to October 2017, but only showed up for the first two months.

Fellow teacher Nurhaizah Ejab reportedly said she received death threats and that her car tyres were slashed after she filed complaints about Jainal with the school authorities.

The suit had named Janial’s former headmaster, Suid Hanapi, the education director-general, the education minister and the federal government as defendants.

Meanwhile, the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) urged the government against being “too eager” to defend the teachers in such cases.

PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Rahim said it was important and incumbent upon teachers to act as whistleblowers if they witnessed abuses of power among colleagues, particularly in underprivileged communities.

“Teachers must have integrity and accountability or face the wrath of the law,” she said, adding that teachers must be good examples to their students. - FMT