By Kuek Ser Kuang Keng | MalaysiaKini The Johor Education Department has attempted to transfer the husband of PAS’ Tenang candidate Normala Sudirman from Tenang to Johor Bahru on the ground that he cannot “control his wife”.
he sudden directive, which orders Normala’s husband Makrof Abd Mutalib to relocate to Johor Bahru within 24 hours, was however retracted after the couple (left) protested.
“The headmaster said it was because I can’t control my wife, referring to her political participation in PAS,” said Makrof Abd Mutalib, who has been teaching in a school in Tenang for the past 13 years.
Met at a PAS event to announce its candidate last night, Makrof told Malaysiakini that he received the transfer notice a few days ago when it was heavily speculated that his wife could contest the Jan 30 by-election for the state seat. Makrof said the transfer notice did not state a reason.
“We confronted the district education department. Normala had resigned (as a teacher). (We told them) they should not act like this (and that) if they did not retract it, we would take it to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission or call a press conference. They then retracted it,” said Makrof.
Normala, who was a teacher in nearby Segamat, had tendered her resignation recently to become a full-time party worker.
According to Makrof, the transfer notice was a form of discrimination against teachers whose family members are supportive of the opposition.
Johor PAS information chief Mazlan Aliman said the department’s directive was politically motivated. Education Dept director caught on video
Last week, Johor Education Department director Markom Giran was caught on video, openly canvassing for support for BN among teachers in Tenang.
A video footage uploaded on YouTube shows him pleading to the teachers present “to help the government win the by-election”.
Markom told the teachers to organise motivational programmes for their students, after which they would be required to meet with the parents of the students to identify whether they are supporters of BN or the opposition.
He said 15 schools in the Tenang constituency and the Education Department plan to organise motivational programme for pupils where all teachers would meet with the parents.
“In meeting the parents and the house occupants, you shall classify them based on four colours – green, blue, grey and white. Green is for hardcore opposition, blue for BN.
“For ‘grey’ (fence-sitters), we want you to inform us so that we can try to change them to ‘blue’,” he said.
A police report on Markom’s campaigning has been lodged by Johor PAS deputy commissioner Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Nominations are set for Jan 22 for the by-election caused by the death of BN Sulaiman Taha who died on Dec 17. Polling will take place on Jan 30.