Several accounts relating the discrimination and unjust treatment towards Muslim employees surfaced to the mass recently. This development caused anxiety to the Muslims and had irritated them at the same time. It has also sent a negative message that the position of Islam in this country is not accorded due respect as clearly outlined in the constitution. It has also strengthened the conviction that there is a continuous effort to discredit the position of Islam in this country.
The perpetrators were getting more emboldened nowadays that they have no qualms in discrediting the ruling of Islam wherever they are in the position of authority, even in an area as limiting as a school. They even resorted to issuing serious threats to the victims of their shameful act.
This was what actually happened to a teacher who reverted to Islam and decided to practice her faith and belief openly. She was simply exercising her own personal right without interfering with anyone or any regulation thereabouts.
Choy Yi San, or Cikgu Choy as she would prefer, is a 25-year old teacher who hailed from Seremban. She reverted to Islam two years ago. Over this period, she did put on the tudung as she was not ready to reveal her new faith to her family and friends. Early in 2013, she began her teaching career at SJKC Nan Ya, Kota Tinggi after completing her training at a teacher training institute.
On 19 January 2014, Ikatan Guru-guru Muslim Malaysia (I-Guru), an agency under Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (ISMA) had visited Cikgu Choy who now stays with a foster family in Kota Tinggi. This courtesy visit allowed the group to get to know her personally while providing her with an avenue to share her tormenting experience.
Cikgu Choy and her foster family were delighted to welcome the group. During the brief visit, she also expressed her regret that her fate was met with lukewarm reaction from leaders of both divides.
2014: A New Resolution
After teaching for a year, she decided to put on her tudung as part of her New Year resolution. As a true muslimah, she has always expected upon herself to don the tudung and to properly cover her aurat once she embraced Islam.
So on 1st January 2014, the first day of schooling this year, she turned up at the school that morning proudly wearing a tudung. Unfortunately, her new appearance was apparently disliked by the school administration. Disapproving glances were directed to her from a few individuals including the principal, Chiew Swee Tian.
She persevered regardless only to receive the similar response for several days to come.
On January 6th, Cikgu Choy called on the principal at her office to discuss on a task distribution as she was assigned to a particular administrative role. During the meeting, the principal took the opportunity to inquire and ‘advise’ her on her decision to embrace Islam. Not only she was given a hint that she still has the choice to leave Islam, she was also inquired on the reason she chose to be ‘imprisoned’ in Islam. Cikgu Choy soldiered on and ignored this attempt.
The next day, the chairman of the school management board, Phang Ah Ngang, dropped by the school to inspect the progress of the retiling work at the school resource room. He crossed path with Cikgu Choy and although a bit surprised with her new feature, he still managed to greet her before leaving for the principal office.
Threatened
Soon after that, the principal called upon Cikgu Choy to her office while in the presence of the chairman. The chairman then began commenting negatively on her being a Muslim. Tension took place and things escalated to become serious when he suddenly issued three threats to Cikgu Choy that involved her safety and honour if she refuses to take off her tudung when performing her duty. The three threats are as follows:
i. If she refuses to take off her tudung, she and her family will be vilified at the school.
ii. If she still refuses, the school management will hold a press conference wherein she and her family will be put to shame and her story published by media.
iii. If she still refuses, the chairman will shoot her and kill her before turning the gun on himself.
Coincidentally, later that afternoon she was called to the District Education Office (PPD) by an officer over a matter unrelated to the earlier incidence. She then planned to see the school examiner after the meeting with the officer to seek his views on the incidence at the school. It turned out that the officer who called her to PPD actually just wanted to pass his personal zakat contribution to her (as a muallaf, she is qualified to receive zakat contribution). The officer did ask her about her life after being a Muslim. Unsure as to whom should she inform about her predicament, she just casually mentioned that she did face a slight problem with the villagers in Telok Sengat recently. Hearing that, the officer suggested that she brings the matter up with the Deputy PPD of Kota Tinggi.
She consented and quickly went to see the Deputy PPD and informed him about the issue that she was facing. She was then advised to make a police report as the act of threatening one’s life should never be taken lightly. She agreed and went to the nearby Telok Sengat Police Station to file a report.
On safety ground, PPD then swiftly transferred her to another school in Kota Tinggi with immediate effect right after the police report was made.
Nevertheless, the threats she received never weaken her spirit and her strive to become a good muslimah. She was not truly bothered either over the incidence. In fact, she felt very much blessed instead as she can now practice her faith openly and freely. What had been worrying her all this while has been effectively overcome with this development.
According to Cikgu Choy, the incident happening to her was not a remote one as there had been cases whereby Muslim female students were barred by the school from putting on their tudung. This contradicted the principal’s statement that was quoted by Utusan Malaysia as saying that she respected the obligation on Muslim females to wear tudung.
It is regrettable that no serious action was taken by the authority against the school management especially the chairman who has issued a very serious threat to Cikgu Choy’s life. Although police investigation is still ongoing, the authority must take a stern action against the school management as they had abused their position, failed to protect their subordinate and most importantly denied the basic right of a muslimah.
The authority’s action, or the lack thereof, might send a dangerous signal to other non-Muslim entities who may think that the discriminating acts on Muslim employees will not cause any dire consequences upon them.
