KOTA KINABALU: Angela Jabing Beginda, whose 10-year old son Basil was caned 10 times on Oct 15 by the Muslim senior assistant of his mission school in Kuching for bringing non-halal food for his recess break, wants principal Alice Chung to act on the matter instead of waiting for the education department.
“It’s not necessary for Chung to wait for the outcome of a disciplinary committee set up by the department,” said Beginda last night. “St Thomas Primary School can act on its own accord if its regulations have been breached.”
She was commenting on a press statement on Nov 11 by Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department, Fatimah Abdullah, who gave the state government’s stand on the matter.
Renewing “the school must act first theme”, Beginda pointed out that the senior assistant, Iskander Fadeli, from Simunjan, was not among the four teachers authorised by the school to cane students. For this infringement alone, Beginda said, she wants Chung to show some backbone and either do what is right or step aside, “failing which be put on the carpet by the school board”.
Dismissing Fatimah’s version, she stressed that the Nov 9 meeting at the school did not resolve that no action should be taken against Iskander. “What the meeting decided was that the school board did not have the authority to take any form of disciplinary action against the senior assistant,” said Beginda. “So, it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the disciplinary committee.”
Fatimah also disclosed that the education department will soon decide on how best to deal with the senior assistant who has since admitted caning Basil. The form of action to be taken will depend on recommendations to be made by the disciplinary committee set up by the department.
The disciplinary committee is currently going through the report of a meeting of various parties held on Nov 9. The mission school has reportedly left the caning incident in the hands of the department since the disciplinary panel also includes its members besides the department and its divisional office.
“It’s up to the disciplinary committee to decide... as long as it’s fair and appropriate,” said Fatimah.
'A good lesson'
Fatimah could not explain why the school couldn’t take action against the senior assistant for caning a student without being duly authorised to do so.
Instead, Fatimah stressed the caning incident was “a good lesson” for the school, the senior assistant and the parents of the boy concerned.
“It’s also a learning process. We must learn from our mistakes,” said Fatimah. “The school and the senior assistant have learnt the best way to tackle similar cases if they happen again in the future.”
Fatimah also took issue with a February circular by the education department banning the sale of non-halal food at school canteens in the state. She deems it “inappropriate” and not because the Muslims are in a definite minority in Sarawak.
“We live in a multiracial country,” said Fatimah. “Some schools are 100% non-Muslim, some are mixed while others are 100% Muslim.”
She said it’s more important that parents educate their children – on sensitivities – although the Ministry of Education “has given leeway to schools to have their own rules and regulations”.
She urged that schools make their regulations clear and explain nicely to the students and parents before misunderstandings arise.
She has a particular message for non- Muslim parents.
“If your children bring non-halal food to school, they should have it alone and not pass them to Muslim friends,” she said without relating it to the caning incident.
There has been no suggestion so far that Basil offered his non-halal food – friend rice with pork sausages – to any Muslim student at the school.
Two conditions
According to Beginda, it was the senior assistant’s son who confirmed for his father that Basil had brought non-halal food to school on that fateful day. This was after a Muslim boy, an Alif, complained to the senior assistant about Basil bringing non-halal food to school. The tell-tale boy had apparently gone over to the corner of the school hall where Basil was finishing his food to check on what he was eating.
“My son would never share his food with anyone,” said Beginda. “He’s very stingy about that.”
Beginda also clarified that she’s giving the disciplinary committee another week to take appropriate action against the senior assistant.
Beginda said that she doesn’t want the caning incident to veer off in other directions involving questions over the religious status of her husband, Beginda Anak Minda from Kapit.
She said that her husband, an Iban like her, remains a pagan while she and her children are Christians of the Anglican Church. She’s from Engkili but resident in Kuching where she’s attached to the Sarawak chapter of PKR as executive secretary.
She expressed willingness last Tuesday, albiet grudgingly, to accept a belated apology from the senior assistant for the caning incident. The senior assistant did not refer to the caning incident when he apologised, according to Beginda.
However, she has set two conditions if she’s to accept the apology.
She wants the senior assistant to be removed from the school for caning her son. Beginda made the demand on the grounds that her son “lives in fear of the senior assistant”, had been traumatised by the incident and that the senior assistant had acted arbitrarily.
She also wants the education department to clarify a February circular on halal food. The department had promised to issue an immediate clarification on the circular which states that no non-halal food can be sold at school canteens, according to Beginda.
“They should state their stand on the sale of beef and other meat as well, besides pork, since these are not allowed by certain faiths and vegans.”
Beginda’s first request, however, is under consideration by the department pending disciplinary action against Iskander.
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