The attempted conversion of an Iban girl in a Miri secondary school by a West Malaysian teacher has riled up Sarawakians, especially the Dayak community.

Social media users vented their anger online after the story which was posted on Facebook went viral.

Many asked not only for legal action to be taken against the teacher but also for her to be banned from entering the state.

Some termed it an invasion of their rights, while others say it’s a crime.

Hugh Lawrence Zehnder asked for an end to “these religious fanatic teachers from Malaya from entering Sarawak.”

Gchins Ichi asked on Facebook if following this, Sarawakians can now “convert Malays to embrace the Iban religion.”

The story came to light after the 13-year-old schoolgirl lodged a report at the Lutong Police station on Wednesday, claiming that a teacher and three men tried to convert her to Islam on March 14.

 

She told the police she was brought to a housing estate and taught to pray according to Islamic rites, and offered RM250 and some clothing used during prayers.

She also said she did not want to be disturbed by the teacher as she did not want her studies to be affected.

Her father Ngumbang Anak Achu had complained to the authorities that the teacher had abused her position and forced his daughter to embrace Islam.

“I am not happy with the teacher because my intention of sending my daughter to school so that she could obtain knowledge and not to be forced to embrace Islam,” he told Malaysiakini, and urged the school authorities to take immediate action against the teacher.

‘Teachers should not take advantage of minors’

Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian told Malaysiakini that if the report was true, he would take legal action against the offenders.

“This is a serious matter as a child under the age of 18 years cannot give consent on her own to embrace another belief. Only parents can give consent,” said Baru, who is a lawyer.

The state assemblyperson for Ba’Kelalan also called on the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department and the education department to ensure no repeat of the incident.

“If not, our exemplary multi-racialism and multi-religious in Sarawak will be destroyed and no different from Semenanjung Malaysia,” Baru ( right ) warned.

Meanwhile, Dayak National Union president Mengga Mikui said a teacher should teach and not be involved in converting students to Islam.

“A student at 13 years old is still a minor and will not understand the implications and she is tempted by the promise of privileges.

“Teachers should not take advantage of the students who were poor and minor,” said Mengga, a former senior civil servant.

He suggested the teacher be sent back to Peninsular Malaysia for creating social problems in Sarawak.

Complaints of other forced conversions

Calling forced conversion a criminal act, Miri Kenyah Association chairperson Peter Kallang said: “This is the type of people who should be banned from entering Sarawak.”

Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) secretary-general Nicholas Mujah decries the stealthy way in which it was done.

He said if they wanted to convert other people, they should do it openly.

Sadia, he said, had received several complaints of ‘secret’ conversions of students in Balai Ringin, Kanowit, Belaga, and elsewhere in the State.

“Don’t tell me the Minister of Education does not know about all these forced conversions of Dayak children to embrace Islam,” said Nicholas ( left ).

Meanwhile, Sarawak DAP Central committee member John Brian described the conversion of a minor was very unfortunate at the time when people were talking about hudud law.

“The issue itself is very sensitive,” said John, who is also the Sarawak DAP Dayak Consultative Committee chairperson.

‘It creates misunderstanding’

He said that forced conversion would trigger a lot of misunderstanding between races and religions, calling it “foreign” to the culture of Sarawakians.

He said Muslims and Dayaks had close relationships and even blood ties.

He suggested for teachers from West Malaysia to undergo familiarisation with the culture and practices in the state so that they do not antagonise the locals.

He also called for a review of the scope of work for Muslim teachers.

“If they are trying to convert the school children without the consent of parents, I think we take that as invasion of our rights both the physical invasion and mental invasion.

“We therefore have to stand up and defend our rights, and that is what Sarawak DAP is doing,” he said.

Efforts to contact the state Education Department and the Sarawak Islamic Department for comments have not been successful.