Teacher files suit over transfer

A teacher has filed a suit against the Langkawi District Education officer and four others over his transfer to another school has resulted in him to suffer from depression last year. Alias Saleh, 47, filed the suit through his lawyer, Mohd Fadli Shuib, at the High Court here on Tuesday. The four other defendants named in the suit are Kedah Education Director, Education Director-General, the Education Ministry and the Malaysian government. In the statement of claim, Alias stated that the order for his transfer from Sekolah Kebangsaan Langkawi to Sekolah Kebangsaan Relau (in Bandar Baharu), dated Oct 1, 2012, was unlawful. He claimed that as a result of the transfer order, he suffered depression for having to be away from his wife and children who had to remain in Langkawi as the wife ran a business there. Alias, who is a Living Skill teacher, is seeking the court to declare the order for his transfer was unlawful. He also wanted the court to order the defendants to re-evaluate his Annual Performance Evaluation Report for the year 2005 to 2007. Alias is also seeking general and exemplary damages, cost as well as other relief deemed fit by the court.