[NEW UPDATE] Eating in "Toilet": HM is Not Guilty Says Education Ministry
A distraught mother went on Facebook to cry for help because her child and other non-Muslim students are being quarantined in the school's changing room during recess.
By Mei Mei Chu — 23 Jul 2013, 02:42 PM — Updated almost 11 years ago
Education ministry says it's not the headmaster's fault
The headmaster at the centre of the SK Seri Pristana controversy has been let off the hook as he "did not commit a crime" when he ordered his pupils to have their meals in the school's shower room.
themalaysianinsider.com
Selangor Education Department director Mahmud Karim told The Malaysian Insider that headmaster, Mohd Nasir Mohd Noor, was thinking of the pupils' safety when he ordered them to have the recess in the shower room.
themalaysianinsider.com
Junaidi said that the police were given permission by the headmaster before entering the school and 30 minutes was allocated to speak to the pupils.
themalaysianinsider.com
He also told the forum that it is government policy to ensure that canteens are operating year-round, including during the fasting month to cater for students who were not fasting.
malaysiakini.com
Malaysian social media users say police were "professional bullies" to have questioned the students but NUTP says otherwise
The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) felt there was nothing wrong with police questioning pupils of SK Seri Pristana while a social activist and two lawmakers described the police's action as "unprofessional and insensitive".
themalaysianinsider.com
"They just wanted to get to the bottom of the issue, and since adults can sometimes not give the real account, the best way was to ask the pupils, who only know how to tell the truth," he said.
themalaysianinsider.com
Netizens slammed the police, labelling them "professional bullies" for questioning the pupils.
"How can a child be interviewed without the parents present? This is intimidation,” said one netizen.
themalaysianinsider.com
"It is baffling and unbelievable that Muhyiddin could remain silent and do nothing till this day," said DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok (left) in a statement today.
Image via googleusercontent.com“How could the police be so unprofessional and insensitive not to understand how primary school children will react to being ‘interviewed’ by police?” she asked. “The police’s explanation that the pupils were ‘interviewed’ and ‘not questioned’ is weak and unacceptable,” she added.
malaysiakini.com
"Sometimes we wonder if the police themselves know the law and the limitations of what they can or cannot do. Looks like they need to be re-schooled."
themalaysianinsider.com
On claims of police questioning students at the school, Supt Junaidi admitted that police officers did "interview" students as part of investigations, and not interrogated as claimed by some quarters.
thestar.com.my"It is worrying too that this whole problem may soon become a racial problem as the students who have been picked on and bullied happen to come from one race.
malaysiakini.com
Police say they are doing the right thing
Other parents and several politicians have lashed out at the police, claiming that they were practising double standards and selective prosecution.
themalaysianinsider.com
“Since the first report was received, police have continued to investigate the case, looking at every piece of information to see if it can be used or not," Junaidi said in a statement tonight.
themalaysianinsider.com
Police have defended their action in detaining a parent of a pupil from SK Seri Pristana yesterday following a backlash from the public and opposition leaders over the arrest.
themalaysianinsider.com
Sungai Buloh police chief Superintendent Junaidi Bujang said today that police are just doing their job and are not practising double standards, as claimed by certain parties.
themalaysianinsider.com
Parent arrested for threatening Seri Pristana headmaster
Today, police arrested a parent for allegedly threatening school principal Mohd Nasir Mohd Noor, about a month after the school had ordered non-Muslim pupils to have their recess in the shower room.
themalaysianinsider.com
He had allegedly gone to the school on July 25 at 2.30pm and threatened to kill Mohd Nasir. This comes after Mohd Nasir found himself in hot water during the month of Ramadan for making non-Muslim pupils eat in a shower room during recess.
It is learnt the suspect went to the school at the height of the school’s controversy and went to the senior assistant’s office and told him that “The headmaster can enter the school but he will surely get it when he leaves the school grounds”.
thestar.com.my“We received three reports of criminal intimidation against the parent — one from the headmaster and two from the teachers. Though we understand he is a concerned parent, we have to do our job,” Sungai Buloh police chief Supt Junaidi Bujang said.
themalaymailonline.com
The parent denied the accusation, saying he had not gone to the school on that particular date. The 31-year-old parent was later released on police bail but is expected to be charged with criminal intimidation soon.
themalaysianinsider.com
Teacher and parent bodies say no to charging Facebook post owner for sedition
Charge the person who uploaded photographs of pupils of SK Seri Pristana eating in the school's shower room with sedition? No way, said teacher and parent bodies.
themalaysianinsider.com
Teacher and parent bodies wanted the authorities to end the sideshow surrounding the incident and instead focus on improving education and answering more pertinent questions raised by the episode.
themalaysianinsider.com
They were reacting to a call from the Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Noh Omar (pic) who urged the authorities to charge those responsible for uploading the photographs with sedition. He said this after visiting the school earlier today.
themalaysianinsider.com
PTA says headmaster Mohamad Nasir will return to the school this week
Headmaster Mohamad Nasir Mohd Noor will report to work tomorrow after being ordered to take a week's leave to calm the furore over asking his SK Seri Pristana students to have their recess in a shower room.
themalaysianinsider.com
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) officials of the Seri Pristana primary school said there has been no decision to transfer Nasir to another school as it would only heighten the controversy surrounding the school further.
Hussein said the PTA was planning to organise a dialogue session with parents soon to address problems which arose from using the shower room for recess. Hussein said, this time, circulars would be issued to each and every parent to notify them formally about the session.
Mohamad Nasir Mohd Noor said he would return to work on Thursday, denying reports that he would be back Tuesday. "I am supposed to go back to work on Thursday, not tomorrow (Tuesday)," he said when contacted.
thestar.com.mySelangor Education Department ordered headmaster Mohamad Nasir to go on a weeks leave
It has been reported that the headmaster of Sekolah Seri Pristana has been ordered to go on leave by the Selangor Education Department.
malaysiandigest.comMohamad Nasir told Utusan Malaysia the Selangor Education Department was expected to complete its investigations over the controversy by the time he returned to work.
themalaysianinsider.com
He spoke to the Malay daily after making a police report at the Saujana Utama police station where he claimed he had been slandered by parents and interest groups over his decision to use the school changing room as a temporary canteen.
malaysiandigest.comMohamad Nasir made the report at the Saujana Utama police station at 11am today.
malaysiandigest.comA daughter's touching plea to clear her father's name (Click to read)
The daughter of the headmaster caught in the controversy over the use of a changing room as a temporary canteen has made an impassioned plea to the public to give her father a chance to clear his name.
malaysiandigest.comAs of 5.30pm on Wednesday, Farah’s post had been shared over 2,200 times.
thestar.com.myPictures: Students in Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Pristana spending recess in the school's changing room
Some people asked 'Why not used classrooms or library?' The temporary room has better facilities..water...sinks... and placed just few meters infront canteen..Classrooms and library dont have all these..and located far from canteen. Since my day of schooling we dont practice eating inside classroom...
Image via blogspot.com
There is NO TOILET anywhere in the upgraded changing room. Instead it is clean and neat.
Image via akamaihd.net
Headmaster of SK Sri Pristana says he did not mean any harm to his students
HM decided to use one of the changing room bcs it has facilities like water supply. It is also closer to the canteen as in few meters.
blogspot.com
The headmaster of a Sungai Buloh primary school has said that Muslim and non-Muslim students had been using the school’s changing room since March to have their meals.
themalaysianinsider.com
"Our canteen can't hold more than 300 students at a time.
"Children would sit on the canteen steps, beside the big drains or just eat while standing and we were worried about their safety and comfort."
nst.com.my
“I only decided to move them into that room because many were sitting on the grass or by the drain to eat because there was not enough space.”
thestar.com.myHe said the canteen had been closed over the past week due to a minor “renovation”. The renovation was completed over the weekend. “The canteen was supposed to have been re-opened on Monday. I did not know that it was kept closed. I was away for a meeting that day,”
thestar.com.myAccording to the school officials, there are only 28 non-Muslim pupils in the school. They showed us the changing room which was very clean at the time.
thestar.com.my“I did not mean any harm to the pupils,”. He said until yesterday he had not received any complaints from parents.
themalaysianinsider.com
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) says they knew but it was not their decision
The school’s PTA chairman Hussein Mohd Ariff said that the PTA members were aware of the situation as it was brought up at the AGM. He said that he was aware it was not an ideal solution, but added that the decision was not up to him.
themalaysianinsider.com
“As a parent, I know it was not ideal but the decision was not up to me,” he said.
thestar.com.mySchool closes makeshift canteen
The primary school which made its non-Muslim students eat in a changing room after closing its main canteen during the fasting month has been ordered to remove its makeshift eating facility, which the public has called "unhygienic" and "extreme".
Guneswari Kelly, a parent, took to Facebook to voice her concern out of desperation
Is it fair for a sekolah kebangsaan sri pristana treatment our non Muslim children like this during puasa month.
They restricted our children to go canteen becoz they will dirty and gave them bilik bersalin n mandi for rehat. They quanteen them not to go out from break.
facebook.com
They quanteen them not to go out from break. No food serve n no canteen. That bathroom is full of bacteria n smell becoz its a bathroom n next door toilet with the horrible smell.
facebook.com
When we ask they keep sending to another bathroom n store place. As a mother I m in teas n sadness. My child in mess at Malay School. Y the parties n no body voice out.
facebook.com
Pls help me some plss. I need help my child suffering at that roon whenever her break. Our complaints not taken in school in keep doing same.
facebook.com
Two Facebook users confirmed that the students were required to eat and rest in the changing room
Two Facebook users confirmed that no students are allowed to eat at the canteen during Ramadan.
Image via imgur.comConcerned individuals reported the issue to the school, Education Ministry, Health Ministry, the police and the news
Facebook users who read Guneswari's plight reported the issue to the Education Ministry, Health Ministry the police and the news.
Image via imgur.comAlthough the pictures of the changing room seemed to be clean, the responses from the public were overwhelming in their anger towards the school’s administration, simply because it is "demeaning" and "insulting" to place primary school children in a changing room for them to have their recess meals.
fz.com
SK Seri Pristana says the school canteen is closed for renovations
A SK Pristana student says the changing room was turned into an eating area because the canteen was too small
A SK Pristana student says the changing room was turned into an eating area so students did not have to eat on the floor.
Image via imgur.comIt's the 'bilik persalinan', not the toilet as mentioned in the viral blogpost that broke the news
Cerita Sebenar: Pelajar Non Muslim Dipaksa Makan Dalam Tandas Kerana Bulan Puasa
terbakor.comCanteen In Changing Room , FACTS That You Should Know.
There is always other side of the coin.
blogspot.com
Fact : the changing room is totally clean, and neat. another failed act by Red Bean Army to spread misleading info ?
facebook.com
"Gambar dirakamkan oleh keluarga pelajar itu kini tersebar di internet BUKAN bilik air tetapi BILIK PERSALINAN telah dinaiktaraf oleh pihak sekolah. Bilik sama dilengkapkan dengan dua meja serta beberapa sinki untuk memudahkan pelajar bukan beragama Islam membasuh tangan mereka," ujar sumber.
Gambar dipaparkan oleh blogger pro pembangkang itu seharusnya diteliti dan disiasat kesahihannya. Jika benar pelajar makan di bilik air, mengapakah perakam tidak memuatkan gambar mangkuk tandas? Bukankah gambar sebegitu LEBIH tragis?
Deputy Minister of Education says they have requested the school to remove the temporary eating place from the toilet
Deputy Minister of Education says they have requested the school to remove the temporary eating place from the toilet.
Image via imgur.comDeputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin: "I have instructed the ministry to investigate the issue of non-Muslims who have been asked to eat in the toilet. Firm action will be taken if there is any basis."
fz.com
MIC education bureau wants action against the headmaster
“We can’t assume (anything just by) looking at the pictures but we can see that it is particularly Indian students sitting in what looks like a toilet. If this is found to be true we want immediate action to be taken against the headmaster”
malaysiaedition.net
The MIC education bureau has lodged a complaint with the Education Ministry that a Sungai Buloh primary school ordered its non-Muslim students to have their recess meals in the school’s shower room.
themalaysianinsider.com
SK Seri Pristana is a primary school located in Sungai Buloh
Mohamad Nasir is the headmaster of SK Seri Pristana. He hails from Kuala Selangor.
Image via akamaihd.net
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