"Tudung" incident: 24 hours to apologise - UMNO Youth Education Bureau

“We give 24 hours for the management of SJKC Nan Ya to apologise to all Muslims in the country”.

This was stressed by UMNO Youth Education Bureau Chairman, Rafiq Naizamohideen following the incident where a Chinese Muslim teacher from Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJKC) Nan Ya, Teluk Sengat, Johor was forced to remove her head scarf or “tudung”.

Pang Ah Ngang, who is in her 60s, was said to have threatened and urged the teacher to remove her “tudung”.

“The teacher filed a police report at the Kota Tinggi Police District Headquarters. Following the report, Pang Ah Ngang was later called to provide a statement.

"Although a report was made and the District Education Office had transfered the teacher to a safer school, we are disappointed as this can tarnish the dignity of Islam,” said Rafiq.

Rafiq hoped that the Education Ministry will provide a quick response on the issue.

“As a Muslim we feel challenged because recently, the religion has been questioned a lot.Thus, the UMNO Youth Education Bureau is urging the Education Ministry to respond to this incident. If Pang Ah Ngang does not apologise, we want the Education Ministry, be it Datuk Seri Idris Jusuh or Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to take stern action and this includes dismissing those involved in the incident,” said Rafiq.

During a press conference at the Ampang Division UMNO ofiice today, Rafiq also urged the schools headmaster, Chiew Swee Tuan to take appropriate action on those involved.

“If the headmaster is not able to solve the issue, than the person is not eligible to hold the position and should be dismissed. The headmaster had not taken any action and failed to understand the Islamic sensitivity in Malaysia,” added Rafiq.

He also added that the people in Kampung Teluk Sengat have started to demonstrate against the actions taken by Pang by hanging banners and posters.