Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto posted on Twitter to support a student who spoke up against a rape joke. — File picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Several MPs have called for swift action by the Ministry of Education towards the principal of SMK Puncak Alam for purportedly leaving uncouth comments against her student Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam on Facebook.

"Don’t be a coward and take action before it is too late,” Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman posted on Twitter last night.

"I stand firmly in solidarity with Ain.”

Similarly, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto implored minister Radzi Jidin to take action after the comments.

"Would you tolerate this kind of language if your daughter was subjected to it?” she asked.

"Take action now. Suspend both teacher and headmistress pending investigation.”

In a series of comments, the Facebook account of the principal Sarimah Mohamed Nor (named "Aimanaizah Sarimahmohamednor”) called Ain "hypocrite”, "Satan’s spawn wearing headscarves”, and told Ain’s parents to "educate her with manners”.

The comments were left on a post promoting Ain and her mother Niza Sharifudin’s appearance in Facebook live session with Khadijah Learning Centre on the topic of speaking up.

 

 

Meanwhile on Twitter, Ain confirmed that the Facebook account that left the comments was of the principal.

Ain also said that she faces the possibility of getting expelled for speaking up against the rape joke by the school’s teacher and the rape threat by her schoolmate.

Malay Mail is verifying the Ain’s statement with the school, and seeking further comments from her parents, the principal, and the ministry.

Ain had started a Twitter Hashtag #MakeSchoolASaferPlace that set Twitter abuzz and appeared among the top 10 trending topics in the country — with even celebrities sharing their personal stories of sexual harassment.

Her original post on Twitter was accompanied by the hashtag #MakeSchoolASaferPlace, in which she called out public figures such as former education minister Maszlee Malik, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, cartoonist Zunar, and celebrity actress and singer Adibah Noor, to support the cause.