No racial slant in termination of Penang food contractor's services

The services of an Indian food contractor at the Seberang Perai Polytechnic were terminated due to non-adherence to the terms of contract and does not have a racial slant.

In a statement on Tuesday, Education Deputy Minister and MIC Education Bureau chairman Datuk P. Kamalanathan clarified that four food contractors - three Malays and an Indian - were terminated based on administrative reasons.

"I have contacted the polytechnic director and he clarified this. The director has given his commitment to resolve the matter immediately," he said.

Kamalanathan, who is also MIC Central Working Committee member, adding that the party would follow up on the matter with the higher education ministry and the director to ensure the matter was resolved soon.

Earlier, the food contractor had voiced unhappiness with the polytechnic's administrators on WhatsApp and Facebook and the matter went viral.

It was reported the polytechnic had allegedly told the non-Muslim food contractor in the campus canteen to cease operations as his stall was not 'shariah compliant'.

However, the institution has denied the accusation.

-- BERNAMA