Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan said that racism leading to ethnic bullying has been resolved in SMK Tasek Mutiara, Simpang Ampat, Penang.

I think that this is a major cover-up of racism that is becoming quite rampant in national schools in Malaysia.

Other than the appointment of a counselor, proposed transfer of the senior assistant and the stationing of police personnel, nothing else has been done to arrest the problem of racism in the school.

The headmaster and the senior assistant who allegedly instigated students into bullying have not been punished. Yes, the senior assistant was transferred, but then according to the officials of the Education Department, this had nothing to do with her involvement in racism. The headmaster has not been punished or transferred as she has only four months to go before her retirement.

To date, no action has been taken against the students who allegedly beat up and caused grievous injury to some of the lower form students. Of the four students who were suspended, two students were readmitted whereas another two students do not know their fate.

Parents of the affected students are not happy, as they have not been consulted on how best to resolve problems in the schools. The parents have lost trust in the way the school is managed.

The local MIC officials, rather than listening to the woes of affected students and parents, have allegedly merely sought to ingratiate themselves with the authorities.

They have no clout whatsoever with the Indian community or the affected parents to ensure that justice prevailed for those who were victimised.

We are not sure about the nature of police investigations but the chief police officer (CPO) of Penang called me to assure that the police are doing everything possible to return the school to normalcy.

At the least the CPO had the courtesy to call me and inform me about the developments.

‘I went to the school to assist parents and school officials’

On the day of the protest of the parents, that is on March 2, 2016, I went to the school merely to assist the parents and the school officials on how best to resolve the problem.

I approached the officials of the Education Department in my capacity as an elected representative, deputy chief minister and exco member in charge of education.

However, an official of the Education Department did not allow me in the school on the grounds that he had instructions to disallow politicians from entering the school.

But some local MIC leaders were already in the school compound before my arrival.

These MIC leaders tried talking to the parents into making a compromise, but were rudely rebuffed by them.

Later I heard that someone lodged a police report against me for taking part in an illegal demonstration. The police will be taking my statement in a matter of few days.

I will also lodge a counter-report against the person or persons who made the false report against me.

I don’t understand how the school can resolve problems of students without engaging their parents? To date, they have not been called or consulted the parents.

Kamalanathan said that his ministry would not just listen to one person (reference to my earlier statements) to act on the school matter.

But he doesn’t know that I have a better understanding of the problems in SMK Tasek Mutiara than Kamalanathan, who is becoming infamous for allegedly covering up serious issues such as racism and bullying in schools.

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the DAP state assemblyperson for Perai.