An MIC leader has failed to see the humour behind the so-called "joke" by a senior teacher, who told his non-Muslim pupils to consume water in the toilet, but not to drink their urine.

MIC communications and public relations chief S Vell Paari said this rib failed to crack him up, similar to how the authorities did not laugh when blogger Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee posted an image with the greeting 'Selamat Berbuka Puasa' while eating pork soup.

"They were charged for their social media post, but now this teacher is being defended by Kedah executive councillor for education, Tajul Urus Mat Zain, and the police," Vell Paari told Malaysiakini .

"A teacher is entrusted with the noble task of shaping impressionable minds, and these are primary school pupils, for heaven's sake," he added.

If the teacher's statement is qualified as humour, Vell Paari said, then the joke is on the Malaysian education system, politicians and the police.

As for Tajul ( photo ) claiming that it was a "misunderstanding", the MIC leader said the real misunderstanding was appointing him to overlook the education portfolio.

"Perhaps our teachers should be sent for training on what constitutes permissible jokes. Tajul and the Kuala Muda police chief should also attend the same classes," he added.

'The menteri besar must act'

Vell Paari, who expressed disappointment that such characters continued to crawl out of the woodwork, wondered if the same humour rule would have applied if the students were Muslims.

"These are people hell-bent on sowing seeds of division, even if the victims happen to be children," he added.

On the same note, the MIC leader said non-Muslims have utmost respect for Muslims who are fasting.

"I see nothing wrong in asking the children to step out of the classroom to drink water out of respect for their Muslim classmates.

"At the end of the day, these are children who have to cope with fasting.

"But telling non-Muslim pupils to drink in the washroom or not to drink their urine is unacceptable," he added.

Vell Paari also hoped that fellow MIC leader and Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan would ensure that a thorough probe is carried out.

"I hope the ministry also does not laugh this matter off," he said, adding that action must be taken against the teacher.

He also called on Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to look into the issue.

"Mukhriz is a father himself, so he should know how sad the parents of these non-Muslim pupils must have felt when their children told them about this.

"I hope he also drums some sense into his exco members," he added.

Yesterday, a letter purportedly from an unnamed group of parents of non-Muslim pupils at SK Ibrahim, Sungai Petani, went viral on various social media platforms.

The letter claimed that the teacher, who is in charge of student affairs, had told non-Muslim students at a school assembly to not to drink water in class but do so in a toilet instead.

It claimed that the teacher had gone on to tell students that if they don't have water, they could drink from the tap or their own urine instead.

Several police reports have been lodged on the matter, while the teacher involved also filed a report, claiming he received threats.