Angela Jabing Beginda, the mother of a 10-year-old who was caned by a teacher for bringing non-halal food for recess, is willing - albeit grudgingly - to accept a belated apology for the incident.

However, she has set two conditions for St Thomas Primary, a mission school in Kuching, and the Sarawak Education Department.

NONE Beginda (left in photo) wants senior assistant Iskander Fadeli, who caned her son Basil, to be removed from the school. She claimed that her son “lives in fear of the senior assistant”, that he is traumatised by the incident and that the senior assistant had acted arbitrarily.

She also wants the Education Department to clarify a circular on halal food that it had issued in February, stating that non-halal food cannot be sold in school canteens.

“They should state their stand on the sale of beef and other meat as well, besides pork, since these are not allowed to certain faiths and vegans,” she said.

The incident made news on Nov 3 when Beginda went to the local press to complain about how her son had been treated by the school and about “double standards”. Basil had been caned on Oct 15 for bringing fried rice with pork sausages to school.

The Education Department is to issue an immediate clarification on its circular. However, it is considering Beginda’s first request, pending disciplinary action against Iskander.

“The senior assistant apologised profusely at the start of the meeting and then left the room,” said Beginda via telephone last night.

“He was asked by the school principal Alice Chung to leave the room after the apology so that we could discuss his case.”

She was relating what had transpired at a meeting yesterday morning at the school. Also present were school board chairperson Wilson Baya Dandot and representatives of the Parents-Teachers Association.

Beginda’s lawyer Desmond Koh was not allowed in, but stayed outside for the 90-minute duration.

Asked if Iskander had specifically mentioned the caning during the apology, Beginda conceded that he didn’t “but it’s obvious”. In admitting that mistakes had been made, he reportedly added that it had been a trying time for him personally and that he never expected the situation to spin out of control.

Beginda disclosed that Chung had asked, as one Christian to another, for forgiveness. Chung is, coincidentally, Beginda’s ex-teacher.

“The school didn’t deny the caning incident during the meeting. We were there to discuss how to put the incident behind us and move on,” said Beginda.

‘Don’t play up issue’

Questions over the nature of the apology had arisen because Chung had denied the incident in a letter dated Oct 29 to Beginda.

Instead, Chung claimed that Basil was last caned on May 7 along with several other boys, for being “naughty in class”. She also stressed that the school does not discriminate against anyone.

“Chung denied because apparently there’s no record of the caning incident. Also, the school assistant is not among the four teachers in the school authorised to cane students,” explained Beginda.

Equally important, there was no prior warning before the Oct 15 incident and there were no witnesses to the incident - both steps are required under the school regulations.

Beginda said the meeting went over the various instances where the senior assistant had allegedly violated the school regulations when meting out punishment or enforcing discipline and school regulations.

This included his act of insubordination on Feb 4 when he took it upon himself to announce during the school assembly that “students would no longer be permitted to bring non-halal food to school”, in reference to the circular.

“Chung claimed that she had immediately reprimanded Iskander for the announcement. But no one can remember except for the two teachers who attended the meeting this morning to take minutes,” said Beginda.

She noted for the record, during the meeting, that it was her fifth time at the school over the caning incident.

She first confronted the school on Oct 19, and followed up with a letter on Oct 21 demanding a written explanation. On Oct 28 she met with Chung, and on Oct 29, picked up the school’s reply. On Nov 4, Education Department officials visited the school, which was followed by yesterday’s meeting.

Beginda said that, at the Oct 19 meeting, the senior assistant had warned her not to make a big deal over the caning after initially denying it and stating that it was not recorded in his book.

The senior assistant’s exact words, according to Beginda, were: Jangan besar-besarkan hal, kerana ini isu yang cukup sensitive di kalangan orang orang Islam. (Don’t blow up this matter as it’s a very sensitive issue among Muslims).”

‘Issue not politicised’

Wanita Sarawak PKR, at a press conference yesterday afternoon to express support for Beginda, clarified that the caning meted out to her son “has nothing to do with politics”.

NONE “It’s important that the school makes its stand clear to parents and students alike. This would avoid cases of students being punished unnecessarily or being verbally abused” said vice-president Voon Shiak Ni.

What matters is whether the allegation is true or not, she added.

“Politics don’t enter the picture. Packing school meal boxes is a daily chore for parents.”

She was commenting on a statement by Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong who had implied that Beginda was politicising the issue, as she is executive secretary of Sarawak PKR.