SIBU: The teaching fraternity should be allowed to decide on what is best for the children, says Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
“Politicians from both the government and opposition including ministers who portray extreme and racist views should stay out of the fray. How could we condemn and pre-judge someone just because he is an Uztaz, a Malay or a West Malaysian as being incompetent to teach our children?
“Let this extreme, racist and unbecoming outlook be erased from all Sarawakians and we give respect to the teaching profession for their untireless effort to teach our children. Look at the case in depth.
“This principal is not someone who is thrown into the wilderness of Sarawak from nowhere. He has served in Sarawak for umpteen years and not just brought in yesterday. He knows the Sarawak diverse culture and multi-religious tolerance and it’s wrong to crucify him just for our political gain. Give him a chance to prove himself,” Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Adding on, the assistant minister said just because the person is a west Malaysian, does not mean he is less sensitive or lacks knowledge of local culture.
Condemning him as not being able to assimilate himself in community events is prejudging him even before he even commences his work, he opined.
“It is just unfortunate that after so many years of being Malaysian, we still have this mentality around and unfortunately even among those who sit in the chair of power.
“Questioning those who sent the principal to the school as insensitive is uncalled for. Should we have only Malay teachers for Malay majority schools and Dayak for Dayak majority schools and Chinese for Chinese majority schools?
“Where will that lead us? Aren’t political leaders, be they from the government or the opposition, responsible to build a more integrated multi-religious and multi-racial Malaysian community instead of a shallow minded one?
“It’s my humble hope that good sense gets to our head and we respect the teachers and how they manage their business. Leave the teachers alone. They are here to teach our children and not to change their faith,” Abdul Karim asserted.
Recently, the media reported that the posting of an Ustaz from Kelantan as principal of SMK Sungai Paoh in Sarikei had created some uneasiness among certain quarters.
Meanwhile, both Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) and Sarawak Teachers union (STU) hoped the new principal would be given a chance to prove himself.
Recent reported cases of Muslim teachers converting non-Muslim Bumiputera students in government schools have led to apprehension among parents of students over the appointment of an Ustaz to head the school.
According to Land Development Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, the school is not an Islamic religious school and the majority of the students are non-Muslim, therefore it was inevitable that the students and their parents were disturbed by the appointment.
Masing added that the Islamisation of non-Muslim native students had been quite rampant in Sarawak lately, thus the appointment of an Ustaz as head of the school was looked upon with suspicion.
Clement Hilary, chairman of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia), Sarikei branch, claimed that the community of Sg Paoh, Sarikei, wanted a Sarawakian and not someone from Peninsular Malaysia.
Clement alleged that the community rejected the appointment not because of religion but because the person was non-Sarawakian.
He further claimed that appointment of Peninsular Malaysians to leadership posts in the state would deprive Sarawakians of the opportunity to climb up the promotion ladder.
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