Parents make police report after teacher tells student to go back to China, sit near dustbin
A storm of controversy has erupted in Malaysia after a teacher told a student to “go back to China” for not being able to understand Malay.
The incident was captured in a viral audio clip shared widely across social media, showing an exchange between the teacher and somebody claiming to be a relative of the student.
Teacher admits telling student to go back to China
In the clip, a man said he heard his relative say that the female teacher had called the student “stupid” and told him to sit near the dustbin.
The teacher confirmed this without hesitation.
Source: 光华日报 Kwong Wah Yit Poh on Facebook
When the man asked why she did that, she matter-of-factly told him that the student could not understand what she said in Malay.
He then asked her whether she told the student to go back to China since he did not understand Malay.
Source: 光华日报 Kwong Wah Yit Poh on Facebook
She frankly admitted that she did.
Teacher says she made similar remarks in the past without complaints
The relative pointed out that the teacher should not have said this as it could be construed as racist, and she should respect other Malaysians.
However, the teacher justified her actions by claiming that she had made similar remarks in the past without any complaints.
She then defiantly pressed the issue, saying that the student is already 13 years old and cannot speak Malay. Moreover, if his parents also don’t speak Malay, they should “go back to China then”, she added.
When the man refused to reveal his identity, the teacher threatened to report the caller to the police for invading her privacy, adding that her husband is a police officer and could easily track him down.
She also claimed he was disturbing her while she was on medical leave and resting at home.
She apologised student’s parents for her remark
According to Sin Chew Daily, the teacher works at a middle school in Kerian district in Perak state, and the incident occurred last week.
Source: timmyto on Flickr. Photo for illustration purposes only.
After the incident went viral, the school arranged a meeting between the teacher and the student’s parents, while the Parent-Teacher Association urged the public to refrain from sharing the audio further.
The teacher acknowledged her mistake and agreed to apologise to the student’s parents for her comments.
She also revealed that she had previously taught at other schools where none of her students had issues understanding Malay, but she faced communication challenges with some students at her current school.
Following the incident, the student’s parents had reportedly filed a police report but closed it after a meeting with the school’s principal.
M’sia’s Education Ministry investigating incident
However, Malaysia’s Education Ministry isn’t letting the case go that easily.
A ministry spokesman told Free Malaysia Today that a “thorough internal investigation” was being conducted over the matter.
Any form of racial statements or actions within the education sector is not tolerated, and government educational institutions must be safe, inclusive, and respectful of the diverse racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds of students, the spokesman said.
The ministry has scheduled a meeting with the parents of the student involved, and psychosocial support services have been made available, it added.
Also read: Student in Indonesia allegedly forced to sit on floor after failing to pay school fees
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Featured image adapted from 光华日报 Kwong Wah Yit Poh on Facebook and timmyto on Flickr. Photo on right for illustration purposes only.
