Ustaz to stay put in SMK Sg Paoh — Education director

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Rakayah Madon

Rakayah Madon

KUCHING: A religious teacher (ustaz) from Kelantan whose posting as principal to SMK Sg Paoh, an Iban-majority area in Sarikei, caused an outcry from parents will stay put in the school for now.

This was disclosed yesterday by state Education Department director Rakayah Madon, who said she had received a directive from Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to let Roslin Che Mood discharge his duties as usual in the school.

Rakayah, however, did not give details as to when Adenan had issued the directive. On Nov 13, Adenan was quoted as saying that the state would intervene in the posting, if necessary.

Rakayah said based on the feedback that her department received from the school, local community and district education office, the religious teacher was doing well and discharging his duties in the school, adding that the situation on the ground had already “cooled down”.

“He’s doing okay and fine. Let him do his work first but I believe, he won’t be there forever because as teachers, we will be transferred from time to time,” she told reporters after the official opening of Sekolah Kebangsaan Matu Baru, here, yesterday.

In fact, Rakayah said Roslin had taught in Sarawak for over 30 years, and his first posting was to SMKA Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wahab (SHOAW), before moving to Kolej Abdillah after which he attended a course to be an effective principal and was posted to SMK Sg Paoh.

“As educationists, we are all colour blind. We don’t really look into where we should serve. As a teacher, we should serve well everywhere we are.”

Roslin’s posting to SMK Sg Paoh had stirred protest from parents and Dayak groups who were wary of religious conversions in the state by Muslim religious teachers originating from Peninsular Malaysia.

Such fear, especially among those in the predominantly Christian areas in rural Sarawak, surfaced when a 13-year-old Iban student in SMK Lutong lodged a police report in March this year against a teacher for forcing her to convert without parental consent.

In her report, she alleged that a teacher from Peninsular Malaysia, whom she knew, took her to a house in Kuala Baram where she was forced to pray according to Muslim rites, after which she was given RM250.

Her parents also wrote an official complaint to the SMK Lutong principal, stating that not only was she given cash, she was also given a Muslim name and provided with a new name tag.

Following the case, the state ordered the teacher involved in the conversion of the student to be removed from the state.