Since the faux pas in Sungai Petani where a senior teacher had supposedly uttered inappropriate jokes while instructing non-Muslim students not to drink in class, efforts had been made to clarify the issue.

Some netizens had also come to the teacher's defence and opined that the backlash has been an overreaction, although many more had simply joined the bandwagon to condemn the teacher.

However, Gerakan vice-president A Kohilan Pillay maintained that stern action must be taken and expressed disappointment that the Kedah education department had made "excuses" that the teacher's comments had been misunderstood.

"Gerakan maintains that thorough investigation and severe action must be taken against the accused teacher for uttering inappropriate jokes targeting school pupils still in their formative years.

"Such inaction has caused the public to be chary of our national schools in educating their children and prevention action must be taken before it becomes commonplace.

"Does the Ministry of Education take any heed on previous incidents regarding buka puasa or should non-Muslim students consume their food in the lavatory?” Kohilan ( photo ) said in a statement yesterday, alluding to a 2013 incident.

In July that year, allegations surfaced that a school had told non-Muslim students to eat in the school's shower room, provoking public outcry.

However, the Ministry of Education subsequently revealed that this was because the school's canteen was under renovation, and the rule had been in place even before Ramadan.

'Joke' in bad taste

In the latest incident on June 21, a letter of complaint was circulated on social media alleging that SK Ibrahim's senior assistant for student affairs had told non-Muslim students to drink water in the toilet instead of in class.

He supposedly went on to say that if the student's didn’t  have water, they could also drink from the tap or their own urine.

Several officials, including Kedah education department deputy director-general Ahmad Tajudin, had clarified that the teacher did not tell the students to drink urine.

"He had said that they could drink outside or in the washroom. However, some pupils had misunderstood this and claimed that the teacher had ordered non-Muslim pupils to drink their own urine.

"The teacher had never said that. We have to clarify that. The pupils misunderstood," Bernama quoted him as saying on Tuesday .

Kohilan said non-Muslim students should have the right to eat and drink as long as it is not done inconsiderately in front of their Muslim peers, while teachers should not crack "perfunctory and noxious jokes".

He suggested that the ministry should conduct assessments and workshops for their educators to ensure that they their role and to promote tolerance.

Guidelines, rather than rules

Meanwhile, when contacted, Parent Action Group for Education (Page) chairperson Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim ( photo ) told Malaysiakini that teachers should be more careful with their choice of words.

"As a senior teacher, you should use words that are more encouraging and positive because for something like this, he should know that it can easily be misheard, and when misheard, manipulated," she said yesterday.

In a more positive environment, she said students would feel that they belong in school and be more encouraged to learn.

As for whether non-Muslim students be told to refrain from drinking water in presence of their Muslim classmates, she said teachers should teach the former to be sensitive to the fact that their Muslim peers are fasting.

However, she stressed that subtler methods should have been used.

Inappropriate comments

Separately, MCA Education Consultative Committee deputy chief Chong Sin Woon also felt that the teacher’s comments were inappropriate.

He added that if non-Muslims were to keep away from fasting Muslims when they eat or drink, it should be on the former's own volition instead of being imposed on them as a rule.

"Malaysians have been living together for the past 100 years, we know what to do. So don't be directing non-Muslims what not to do during the holy month.

"The harmonious society is already there. Overdoing it would only jeopardise the foundation that we already have," Chong ( photo ) said when contacted yesterday.

As for netizens’ reactions, whatever they may be, he urged them to allow the government's system to run.

He said as long as there is an apology and the ministry has taken steps to ensure that the incident does not repeat - including action against the teacher if deemed necessary - then the lesson is learnt.

However, the senator said similar episodes in schools over the past few years also show that Malaysians do not cherish multiculturalism as it did before.

Hence, he said the government and civil society groups should find ways to address this.

"We cannot continue the trend because if we are too segregated, then we are going to have a big problem if our younger generation are being brought up in such an environment, where we are intolerant to each other.

"I think this is also a signal that the government should 'capture' and prepare a good policy and campaign (to bring) all races together like before," he said.

He added that the government should also ensure that the civil service is culturally diverse instead of being dominated by any one race.

This would ensure that the civil servants are constantly aware that they are servicing a multiracial society, he said.