Specials DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS MAGAZINE Spring 2011 - Anniversary Commemorative Issue

Malaysian Race Relations: Ethnic Indian Students Sue Their Malay Teacher For Racism

By Global News Digest

The Straits Times (Singapore)
Associated Press

Posted August 16, 2008

A female teacher has had to be transferred to another school due to uproar and protests by some students and their supporters following allegations by some students that the teacher had taunted them with racial slurs.

The students, all ethnic Indians, allege that the ethnic Malay teacher called Indians "black monkeys" and accused the students of thuggery and theft as well as making other racial remarks against Indians. The teachers transfer was effected after she allegedly admitted making the racial remarks.

The case attracted high public attention in multiethnic Malaysia. About 500 Indians protested last week outside the school in central Selangor State. Samy Vellu, president of the Malaysian Indian Congress and the leading ethnic Indian politician in Malaysia has added his voice to that of the protesters. He made a press statement on Wednesday calling for sterner disciplinary action against the teacher. Samy Vellu said that people like the teacher give the government a bad name and erode Indian community support for the government.

The students had filed a police complaint against the teacher, but police authorities say the teacher will not be charged because she had not commit a criminal offense.

Malaysian minorities have long complained that racism by the Malay majority is "entrenched and institutionalised" in the country.

Three of the students plan to sue the teacher for defamation. Their lawyer, S.N. Pathmanabhan, says the teacher made "false allegations that go right to the roots of their [students'] origins."

The students are seeking compensation from the government. They also want the teacher fired.

Malaysia is a stable multi-ethnic democracy of 27 million people with a 60 percent Malay ethnic majority that is mostly Muslim. Ethnic Chinese make up 25 percent of the population, while about 10 percent is of Indian origin.      See related story