This post refer to the recent news report on the controversy regarding video image of students indulging in sexual acts( Borneo Post 23rd, 24th & 25th Sept, 2008). Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing claimed that he had brought the matter to the Director of Education Dr. Julaihi Bujang asking him to carry out investigation and take appropriate action. But Tiong said he was disappointed with Julaihi who said that “he could do nothing because there was no evidence”. For that Tiong asked Julaihi to resign from his post as director of education Sarawak.
The President of Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) William Ghani Bina and the Chairman of Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers’ Association Ahmad Malie as well as Chairman of Sarawak Headmasters Council Abang Sapali Abang Sepawi, in their support for the director of education, objected to Tiong’s call for Julaihi to resign. They said it is unfair. They claimed that the cases have not been reported to any party or school and the department. Therefore, they said the director would not know of such cases. Aren’t they supposed to be prihatin and take the initiative to check this allegation.
The reasons given by these teachers and headmasters associations in defence of the director of education are not tenable. This is because before the matter was blown up by the media Tiong had already informed Julaihi about the sex video clip and asked him to carry out investigation. It was only after Julaihi failed to do anything that Tiong asked him to resign. Thus, unions leaders cannot say that the cases have not been reported to any party or school and the department. The fact that Tiong had informed Julaihi about the cases is sufficient report for Julaihi to commence with investigation. It is unacceptable for Julaihi to say that “there was no evidence” when he never carry out any investigation. He could have asked Tiong to give him the video clip which is the evidence, if Tiong had not already given it to him when Tiong first informed him of the cases. There is no need for a formal report like Police report, for example, or written report to be made before investigation can be carried out. Only Police investigation requires report to be lodged first before investigation is carried out but not with internal investigation which can be carried out upon receipt of oral report or information.
Tiong is right for being very concern because sexual acts by students are very serious matters that not only parents but the whole society should be concerned with as students are not sent to school to indulge in sexual activities but to study.
Perhaps, the students who have committed these sexual acts may be influenced by what they may have seen from pornographic videos which are easily available at video shops found in all towns in Sarawak. The relevant authorities should carry out enforcement duties to confiscate all the pornographic CD/VCDs sold in these shops.
This episode is a case of deteriorating discipline in schools. In the good old days even a case of male student harassing female student is unheard of. In those days schools were highly disciplined especially under the expatriate principals who brook no nonsense. It is hoped that the relevant authorities will look into these sad incidents and take the necessary action instead of trying to defend the indefensible.
In my personal opinion, we, the rakyat, as well as parents, should give our full support to Datuk Seri Tiong for being vocal on this issue. Datuk Seri also highlighted not longer ago another issue regarding student discipline. In actual fact, we should be grateful if other MP or people’s representative to be like Datuk Seri Tiong.
By all mean Datuk Seri, get rid of those who are not performing in addressing disciplinary issues in our schools.