KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — Teresa Kok is appalled that lawyers from the Attorney General’s Chambers will represent the teacher who joked about rape during class in the countersuit filed by student Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam.
The Seputeh MP questioned the choice in having a senior federal counsel (SFC) to represent the teacher, and the school’s former principal when they were sued in their personal capacity.
“Moreover, it was little Ain Husniza who was first sued for defamation by the teacher who cracked rape joke in the class. Ain who was at the receiving end was forced to defend herself and had to make a counter-claim against the teacher,” Kok said in a statement today.
She said Ain and her father Saiful Nizam Ab Wahab only filed the lawsuit after the teacher in question sued the girl.
Kok said that since the issue was between the student and teacher, the SFC should limit their representations to government entities only as it may set a bad precedent when federal counsel act for civil servants in their private suits.
She also questioned the government’s ethics in taking the side of the teacher who made the rape jokes.
“Is this not tantamount to endorsing the misconduct of the male teacher in school? This sends a wrong message to the teachers and educators.
“I urge the Attorney General Tan Sri Idris Harun to withdraw the representation for the teacher and the ex-headmistress in this private legal tussle and stick to defending the government entities only,” she added.
Ain and her father filed court documents yesterday saying the move to appoint federal counsel to defend the teacher and headmistress to her private countersuit was improper.
The father-and-daughter duo also said the move to have government lawyers represent the retired headmistress of the school seemed wrong as she is no longer a public servant.
