The National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) today defended its secretary-general Siva Subramaniam accused of being more concerned with racial issues than problems faced by teachers.

Siva was branded a "liar" and "publicity seeker" by Perak state executive councillor for religious affairs and education when the former revealed that several schools in the state segregated its students according to race.

Dr Abdul Malek Hanafiah made the stinging remarks in a Utusan Malaysia report last Friday and added that Siva showed more concern to issues related to the Indian community than to those affecting teachers.

However, the union's president Tengku Habsah Tengku Putera has dismissed the charge, saying that Siva raised an educational matter and not a racial issue.

"The key point here is the development of a country which is pluralistic, prosperous and harmonious," she said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

According to her, Abdul Malek cannot be expected to give a fair explanation as "he has an interest in the matter".

Instead of unleashing a verbal salvo, the state exco should have invited the press to the schools concerned to see the student attendance lists for themselves in order to dispel NUTP's claim, added Tengku Habsah.

Early this week, NUTP released an initial list of 32 schools nationwide which it said practised racial segregation of students.

Abdul Malek denied that the Perak schools on the list were involved and rapped Siva, who revealed the list, for making baseless allegations.

Special meeting

NUTP at today's press conference also said it has requested for a special meeting with Education Minister Musa Mohamed and his deputies regarding the segregation issue.

The ministry has proposed to set up an independent committee to probe the matter, a move welcomed by NUTP.

Tengku Habsah said that since the issue hit the headlines, Malaysians have expressed their concern over the matter.

Clarifying the union's role in the imbroglio, she said: "NUTP has no hidden agenda. The union wants to see racial integration continued to be promoted in schools and institutions of higher learning."

Tomorrow, NUTP will submit to the education ministry another list containing the names of 197 schools nationwide which they claim are practising student racial segregation.

This is a follow-up to Siva's earlier claim that 10 percent of the 8,876 primary and secondary schools in the country practise race-based segregation.

On Tuesday, the education minister had challenged Siva to substantiate his claim with proof.

The segregation issue came into the limelight two weeks ago after MIC Youth education bureau chief, S Murugesu, revealed that a school in Port Klang, Selangor, was practising such a policy.

NUTP defended

Meanwhile, in a press statement today, the Malaysian Trade Union Congress said the NUTP should not be critisised for exposing the incidence of the racial streaming of students.

MTUC president Zainal Rampak said all quarters should work together to confirm the NUTP claim and formulate measures to rectify it.

"If not for the NUTP and Siva Subramaniam raising the matter, the issue of segregation of students would have continued until it no longer could have been contained," he said, adding the NUTP report should be regarded as constructive criticism in the interest of the country.