Are you heartless or powerless, YAB Education Minister?

Media Statement by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat in Ipoh on Saturday, March 1, 2014

Are you heartless or powerless, YAB Education Minister? 

On Feb 24, Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin denied that he had instructed that the leader of Suara Guru Masyarakat Malaysia, a teacher from Pahang, was given a 24 hours transfer to a rural school 80 km from his home for opposing student-based assessment system.

“I want to make it clear that I did not direct for the teacher to be transferred. This might have been an order at the district (education office) level”, he said.

Although he had refuted suggestions that the transfer order was a punishment for the teacher Mohd Nor Izzat Mohd Johari, that would be the natural conclusion for many people.

A responsible minister would certainly treat the matter as urgent and instruct that a report be sent to him immediately.

In fact, Muhyiddin did say that he would look into the matter.

However, till today, there has been no follow up announcement from the Minister or the Education Ministry.

What is causing the delay?  How much time is needed for the Education Ministry or Education district office to make a report to the Minister?

If the Education Department could be that “efficient” to order an immediate transfer of Mohd Nor Izzat, surely it can submit a simple report to the Minister within hours.

But has a report been submitted to the Minister?

If a Minister cannot ensure that a report involving such an issue be submitted to him within 24 hours, then question arises as to whether he is fit to be a Minister.

If he has received a report, why has he not made a follow up public announcement or more importantly, revoke the punitive transfer order?

In last year’s SK Seri Pristana incident where students were bullied, I had criticized Muhyiddin‘s silence and asked him if he was a heartless or powerless Minister who would not intervene in the issue.

I now ask Muhyiddin the same question, are you heartless and powerless on the issue of punitive transfer of Mohd Nor Izzat?