SCHOOL pupil Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam will counter-sue the teacher who she said made a rape joke in class for RM5 million for the distress he has caused her, her lawyer Sankara Nair said today.

“I have already issued a letter to the teacher’s lawyer to inform that we will counter-sue,” Sankara told reporters at Sungai Buloh police station today where Ain had been questioned by police.

Also present were Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah, who came to lend support to the Form Five pupil who exposed her former physical education teacher on social media after the latter made a rape joke in class.

Ain revealed two days ago that she had been slapped with a letter of demand for RM1 million as compensation for having defamed the teacher.

The teacher had also lodged a police report against Ain, leading to her questioning by police today.

Despite the letter of demand, the teen told reporters today that she would continue her fight to make schools a safer place.

“It is our right as students to have safety in school and it is what I am fighting for.

“To all those who have faced what I did in school, I hope you come out and voice out, your voices should be heard,” she said.

Maria meanwhile, slammed the police’s decision to initiate investigations against Ain.

“Such a move sends the message that it is acceptable for teachers to make rape jokes in schools,” the Petaling Jaya MP said.

Kok added that she had been a victim of sexual harassment in the Dewan Rakyat.

“The way the school is treating Ain Husniza is extremely unjustifiable. It is also unnecessary for her to be questioned as she is only a schoolgirl,” the Seputeh MP said.

Ain’s outing of her teacher’s rape joke in April sparked the hashtag #MakeSchoolASaferPlace on social media and saw other girls share their stories of sexual harassment in school.

The teacher at Ain’s school, SMK Puncak Alam in Selangor, was subsequently transferred by the Education Ministry to the state education department.

Ain’s father Saiful Nizam Abdul Wahab had lodged a police report against the teacher, but police yesterday said they have marked the case as ‘No Further Action’ after completing investigations.

The hashtags #MakeSchoolASaferPlace and #FreeAin trended on Twitter this evening and an online petition has been started to “free” her from the teacher’s lawsuit. – August 6, 2021.