A GROUP of opposition MPs had urged the Attorney-General (AG) to withdraw representation for a teacher and a former headmistress in a suit filed by a schoolgirl and her father against them.
SMK Puncak Alam teacher Khairul Nizam Sanuddin and the school’s former headmistress Sarimah Mohammad Nor were named as defendants in a counterclaim suit filed by Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam, a former student from the school, and her father.
“The Attorney-General’s Chamber’s (AGC) action in instructing a senior federal counsel (SFC) in defence of the teacher and former headmistress in the countersuit filed by Ain Husniza and her father is appalling and should be reversed,” the MPs said in a statement.
“We, the Members of the Malaysian Parliament, are of the opinion that the Keluarga Malaysia Government – especially the AGC and the Education Ministry (MOE) – should be impartial in this matter.”
The statement, signed by 75 Opposition MPs, said that the Government’s focus should be one of providing a conducive learning environment to Malaysian schools.
“We stress that the we must all respect the teaching profession in guiding the future of the children. However, such institutions must bring forth the message that sexual innuendos and jokes on rape, especially against teenage girls, cannot be tolerated.”
They further noted that the act of appointing a federal counsel in the civil action to defend private actions by the teacher who had initiated the suit will further tarnish the already negative perception of MOE and the Government.
“Ain’s case will only create more unwarranted fears and trepidations in parents and students in all our schools. It will impair confidence in the education system. Taxpayers’ money should be spent for proper purposes,” the MPs said.
“We must also stress that we do recognise that everyone has a right to legal recourse, including the teacher. However, the AGC, as the guardian of public interest, should stop taking sides in this very sensitive case.
“As the drafter of the Sexual Harassment bill, the AGC should be more sensitive to such matters.”
Last Saturday (June 4), it was reported that Ain Husniza and her father, Saiful Nizam Abd Wahab had objected to government lawyers representing Khairul and Sarimah as they had sued and were being countersued in their personal capacities.
In an affidavit filed recently, they also claimed the SFC’s action to act for the ex-headmistress was wrong because she was no longer a public servant at the time the suit was filed.
Khairul sued Ain and her father for allegedly making defamatory remarks against him on social media and through press interviews later.
Ain and her father, in response, filed a counter-suit against Khairul, and further named Sarimah, Selangor education director Anismah M. Noh, Senior Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Radzi Jidin and the federal government as defendants.
The countersuit against them were, among others, for intentionally inflicting emotional distress over rape jokes allegedly made during a physical education class at the school and in the aftermath. – June 7, 2022
