SUBANG JAYA, 2 Feb - Teachers in a school in Brickfields have allegedly lodged a police report against a 17-year-old student who questioned the ‘celebration of independence’ and the tenets in the Rukun Negara.
Nicol Paul Miranda, a typical Form Five student, has been suspended from SMK Vivekananda. The school also threatened not to release his school leaving certificate which is a requirement to further his tertiary education.
According to Nicol, he was suspended because he questioned why are we celebrating independence when our democracy has not evolved; it is still under the BN regime. Besides, he also questioned the principles of Rukun Negara in his Civics SPM trial examination.
“I questioned why we needed to recite the Rukun Negara’s first principle, Believe in God when places of worship are being demolished.
“I also questioned the second principle, Loyalty to the King and Country because it is not right to force an individual to be loyal,” he told newsmen at PKR’s ‘Tweet-Up’ function yesterday.
“I also questioned the second principle, Loyalty to the King and Country because it is not right to force an individual to be loyal,” he told newsmen at PKR’s ‘Tweet-Up’ function yesterday.
As a result, his trial exam results were not released. He was further suspended for three days.
“They (school) have also lodged a police report against me in Bukit Aman and Brickfields,” added Nicol who is currently working with a Malaysian NGO on human rights issues.
Lembah Pantai MP, Nurul Izzah Anwar who was also present at the function assured Nicol that she would raise the matter with the relevant authorities.
In my opinion, the principal and the school teacher should not have reported their students to the police. Malaysian government used to emphasize the freedom of speech in this country. Moreover, Nicol is a teenager who is courageous enough to stand up for his beliefs, unlike the typical secondary school students who are spoonfed by teachers following directives from the Education Ministry. In addition, being reported to police could have a great impact on a teenager.
In my opinion, the principal and the school teacher should not have reported their students to the police. Malaysian government used to emphasize the freedom of speech in this country. Moreover, Nicol is a teenager who is courageous enough to stand up for his beliefs, unlike the typical secondary school students who are spoonfed by teachers following directives from the Education Ministry. In addition, being reported to police could have a great impact on a teenager.
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