The suspension of the National Union of Teaching Professionals' Perak branch is finally out in the open. This suspension has been the talk of the town for nearly two weeks. But for some strange reason this matter has been kept under wraps like some secret among thieves!

Rumours have it that this suspension is related to financial impropriety implicating top officials of the branch and causing concern among 20,000 members of the union. The union deals with millions of ringgit belonging to the members and this is a concern for alarm. Members are bewildered and totally in the dark.

Both the branch officials and principal office bearers from the headquarters refuse to deny or confirm this news, and act as if unaware of the matter.

According to a New Straits Times report o­n May 15, trades union state director Baihakki Ahmad confirmed receiving "notification via a letter" o­n May 10 "from NUTP's head office." The letter had stated that "the union's headquarters held a meeting and decided o­n April 19 to suspend the Perak branch."

Apparently no reasons were given for this suspension. This seems to be o­nly part of the story. It is also strongly rumoured that branch secretary S Sundralingam was also suspended at this meeting. This was not disclosed to Baihakki.

It is totally unacceptable for NUTP Perak branch chairperson and national president Tengku Habsah Tengku Petra to refuse comment o­n this issue. Instead she had asked the matter to be referred to NUTP secretary-general S Siva Subramaniam.

Does she realise how ridiculous she sounds? When you ask a headmistress about a policy in her school, can she simply say, "Ask my senior assistant?" As president, she sits where the buck stops. How can she be so ignorant of her position and what it entails? She is the chief spokesperson for the union.

On the other hand, is it alright for Sundralingam to say "ask my boss", and Siva to be silent o­n the matter? If suspension was decided at a meeting o­n April 19, then it must have occurred at the executive council meeting - the highest authority of the union apart from the delegates' conference - chaired by the union president. Both Siva Subramaniam and Sundralingam must have been present at this very important meeting.

What is most disturbing is the fact that "Siva Subramaniam when contacted, denied that such a thing (suspension) has happened and would not comment o­n the letter, adding that he did not know anything about the letter. Doesn't the secretary-general take down minutes of the meeting's proceedings?

This is a serious breach of conduct. The trades union state director claimed that he had received such a letter from the NUTP. If Siva Subramaniam insists that he does not know anything about the letter, then who signed this letter? Isn't it standard practice for the secretary-general to sign all official letters, especially an important o­ne such as this? In the absence of Siva, then the letter would be signed by the deputy secretary-general, a post also held by Sundralingam. Is Siva admitting that the letter was signed by his deputy without his knowledge and authorisation?

The NUTP is famous for demanding accountability and transparency from the Education Ministry. But when it comes to their own conduct these union officials pay scant respect to these virtues.

In this merry-go-round drama, it is not o­nly the credibility and integrity of the above three officials that is at stake but the credibility and the integrity of the largest teachers' union.

They have no right to humiliate the union and bring it into such disrepute.