THE Education Ministry (MOE) needs to act against those who have attacked student activist Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam on social media, said Selangor Pakatan Harapan members of parliament and assemblymen. 

In a statement, they said Malaysia’s educational institutions have a long-standing history of having quality teachers and educators who work hard to maintain a high educational standard for our children.

“This has allowed our children to fully develop and grow in a learning atmosphere of respect, peace, happiness, love and understanding,” they said in a joint statement today. 

“Therefore, it is very unfortunate that the headmistress of Ain Husniza’s school has allegedly made negative Facebook comments, where she referred to Ain as ‘hipokrit ... anak setan pakai tudung’. So far, the headmistress has not denied and has since deleted the FB comment made on (Ain’s father) Saiful Nizam’s Facebook page. 

“We strongly urge the Ministry of Education to review the education system and take stern disciplinary actions against the headmistress, if she is found to have made those negative comments, and the teacher who has erred against whistle-blowers.”  

Former deputy prime minister and Pandan MP Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, former health minister and Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad were among the prominent lawmakers who signed the statement.

News of the headmistress’s remarks about Ain Husniza on her Facebook page came out on Saturday.

The lawmakers said her comments have given licence to other educators and students to view jokes about violence against women as acceptable. 

“This is unacceptable as children will take the cue from their educators, and rape jokes will be normalised,” they said.

“The handling of Ain’s case leaves a black mark in democracy as we are telling our youth that those who speak out will be regarded as dissidents, agitators or, worse, as satan.” 

The lawmakers also pressed for gender sensitivity awareness among teachers and students.

“Ain is now a victim of a failed system that does not understand nor support girls’ and women’s rights,” they said. 

“A Gender Equality Act as proposed by Pakatan Harapan must be in place to ensure our girls and boys are protected.

“Despite the strong policy to promote gender equality and to develop respectful relationships between boys and girls in the 11th Malaysia Plan, such perspectives appear to be lost when it comes to frontline educators.” 

The lawmakers want the ministry to reinstate the good name of local educational institutions.

Ain Husniza herself has expressed sadness over the actions of the headmistress, including a warning letter of expulsion from her school sent to her recently. 

The 17-year-old rose to fame following her TikTok video post claiming a physical fitness and health education teacher at her school made a sexually offensive statement. 

Her revelation had inspired other current and former students to speak out over sexual harassment incidents in the past, under the hashtag #MakeSchoolASaferPlace. – May 10, 2021.