I refer to the Malaysiakini report Minister's silence on 'racist' teacher irks Indian NGOs .

Earlier it was reported that MIC President S Samy Vellu had called for the teacher who insulted some Indian students to be sacked. Others have called for 'harsh punishment' while some Indian NGOs have called for her to be transferred to a desk job.

Three different punishments with varying doses of severity. Which would be the appropriate level of severity?

One the one hand, I have to agree that transferring her to a better school that is nearer her house isn't really much of a punishment.

It looks as if she is being rewarded (and given the state of our civil service, I wouldn't at all be surprised if this was the motivation of the individual/group responsible for her transfer - but I hope I'm wrong). Justice has not been done or, at least, not seen to be done.

On the other hand, the teacher has apologised and we have to assume that it was a sincere apology. Moreover, she is relatively young at 35 years and has many years of potentially good work ahead of her - especially if she was sincere in her apology.

Sacking her would be too harsh a punishment - and us Indians who call for her sacking will make us just as cruel as she was to her students.

It would seem that an appropriate punishment would be to give her a desk job, as called for by some NGOs.

However, another question we have to ask ourselves is - can we use this as an opportunity to go beyond retributive justice?

Can a small delegation of firm but gentle Indians meet with her to express our disappointed and, more than that, to also apologise for all the times we Indians have insulted the Malays - either direct to their faces or behind their backs - with our own set of cruel names and jokes?

Is there a way where we can touch her heart - and the hearts of all the other Malays - by also acknowledging our faults?

If we only seek to condemn without looking at our own mirrors, no lasting understanding will be built.

An acknowledgment and apology on our part might even lead that teacher to also go beyond apology and offer some form of restitution - either to the Indian students she offended or to other students.

(For example, one year of free tuition to a few poor Indian kids will go a long way towards helping her understand Indians and vice-versa.)

In summary, here is an opportunity for the Indian community to respond not just with firmness (as we have done) but also with humility. Can we raise to the occasion?