Political scientist: Teacher telling off pupil to ‘balik China’ for poor grasp of BM should be booted out
ARE racist teachers a protected species in Malaysia?
Such is the point that political scientist James Chin is attempting to drive home with his post on X highlighting yet another incident of a public school educator spewing racist remarks.
The director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania was lamenting that teachers displaying racist tendencies seem to be a protected lot.
Despite frequent incidences, there appears to be a lack of political will from administrations – both past and present – to deal with this issue.
Something is very wrong with the state education system. Almost every year, we get situations where blatant racism is present inside the school. In a recent incident, a teacher from Kerian has stirred controversy after being recorded telling a student to “go back to China” for Show more
In a recorded telephone conversation between a concerned parent and the offending teacher, the latter even remarked that parents who do not speak the national language should contemplate taking the next tongkang back to China along with their non-Malay speaking offspring.
She was also seemingly unremorseful nor concerned by threats of being reported to the relevant authorities on grounds that her husband is a police officer.
The recorded conversation was highlighted by Chinese daily Kwong Wah Daily with Chin hinting that the education system was being hijacked by such learned tutors.
Is the level of guidance one should expect in public schools?
The post has obviously sparked a lively debate with many proffering differing perspectives.
Editor’s Note: The teacher who allegedly told her pupil to “go back to China” for not being fluent in Malay is being investigated by the Education Ministry (MOE) in addition to facing a police probe.
This came about as Minister Fadhlina Sidek said that any racist behaviour in schools would never be tolerated.
“I would like to emphasise that the MOE does not compromise with racism in schools, whether involving teachers, students or any officers,” she justified. “In this case, the internal investigation is already underway and we will take action based on the investigation findings.”
One netizen countered Chin’s accusation of racism, alluding to the stark reality of some Malaysians – both young and old – being unable to grasp the finer points of the national language. Is this racism or just plain frustration on the part of the educator?
Another netizen claimed it was unfair to tar every teacher with same brush. This was an isolated incident, hence social media posts like Chin’s smack of “rubbish journalism”.
Always remember that there are pupils with differing abilities, counselled one commenter. He pointed to an example of a Malay student who opted to take Chinese in Form I and failed spectacularly.
But instead of mocking him, the commenter admired the pupil’s courage.
However, another netizen begged to differ, claiming this was the consequence of the quota system leading to the nation becoming “chronically sick”.
Blaming the powers-that-be for implementing divisive policies, one netizen lamented that most schools have teachers from just one race. This is the consequence of not playing to the country’s strength which includes celebrating its diversity.
This example was used to counter the argument that vernacular schools was creating schisms in society with one directing the post to anti-vernacular education proponent Prof Teo Kok Seong
Another reminded the teacher that she is being paid to teach, not spew racist slurs.
On one hand, it is obviously unbecoming for a teacher to be making such remarks. It is utterly wrong and sets a bad example.
On the other, one can only imagine the incredible frustration of an educator is constantly faced with pupils who are disinterested in learning the national language.
Underpaid and overworked, it would not take much for a teacher to lose his or her patience when faced by students who are dismissive of the importance of learning Bahasa Malaysia (BM).
Regardless of whether the teacher was out of line or that it was the child who pushed her beyond her limits, one netizen had a damning indictment of the current state of affairs in the country. – March 24, 2025
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