N Siva Subramaniam and the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) Council members should protect their integrity and dignity by standing by what they have said of racial segregation existing in schools. This is not a message to instigate them to go against the Education Ministry but to speak out the truth because segregation exists and it is surprising that the independent committee set up to investigate the matter came out with such a report.

It may be appropriate for members of the independent board to take up the job as teachers for a couple of months to see for themselves rather than listen to so-called administrators and creators of such segregation in schools.

Local media paint rosy pictures of children of tender age mingling and eating together. At this tender age, are they in the position to realise what is happening between a bumiputra and non-bumiputra? So to say our press is playing politics in line with the aspirations of the so-called government elected by the rakyat using the New Economic Police may be for the benefit of the same rich and wealthy at the expense of others.

Now politicians are harping on the issue and branding it racial to further advocate their challenge against the NUTP. Thus, now is the time for Siva and the council to stick to their guts and not to bow to the wishes of Umno Youth and the deputy prime ministers wish.

To Siva, it is a challenging time to show his leadership qualities in backing up what he had said and those who have highlighted the issue.