YOURSAY 'It just looks like the tip of the iceberg and most of these incidences of racial discrimination in schools go unreported.'

'Principal admits to making balik India, China jibe'

Odin: I am not Chinese nor am I Indian, but I always feel utter disgust at how these two ethnic groups have been mistreated such as in this case. I also seriously - and I mean seriously - doubt whether the SMK Alam Megah principal has actually also told her Malay pupils to return to Indonesia.

However, I think that the best thing for one to do is to forgive her, to show that one is well above her level.

The fault really lies in her pathetic upbringing and in the despicable system practised and promoted by the corrupt government, particularly since former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad came into power.

And with Muhyiddin Yassin as the DPM as well as education minister, the problem has been exacerbated. Why, he has only just, to quote one example, accused non-Muslims of having insulted Islam, but he has never commented on the deplorable actions of the likes of Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali and former Selangor PAS commissioner Hasan Ali.

The only way to exorcise the entire system of this sort of maleficence is to work hard at burying Umno Baru and ensure it will never resurrect in any form.

Aries46: An apology will not suffice as the damage has been done. She has belittled the non-Malay students in the presence of the Malays students, which is very damaging.

The insulting words chosen by the HM (headmaster) amounts to telling the Malay students that the non-Malay students are lesser in status and citizenry.

There is every likelihood that the patriotic pride of the innocent students has taken a severe battering and evoked feelings of inferiority in the presence of their Malay friends.

Considering that the source of the noise that caused the HM's annoyance was not narrowed down specifically to the non-Malay students, it is highly improper for the HM to have attacked a particular racial group.

It is not the question of an apology, but how a head mistress of such mentality and attitude be able to impart knowledge in a fair and equitable manner and gain the respect of her students. But I wonder is she entirely to blame?

Keturunan Malaysia: I would say this headmaster did the correct thing when she said, "I am sorry" and hopefully meant it and not to repeat this again. As saying goes: "To err is human and to forgive divine".

AJ: What does not sit right with me is that she was not sorry after uttering the words but only when it was exposed.

It just looks like the tip of the iceberg and most of these incidences of racial discrimination in schools go unreported. There has to be a holistic and concerted effort to stem this.

Abasir: What this simply shows is that BTN (Biro Tata egara) has been more effective than the PM's Department's Performance Management and Delivery Unit's (Pemandu) in transforming the country.

This is just one principal who exposed herself. Imagine the thousands more littered all over the education system, the civil service and the government-linked companies (GLCs).

Gggg: Please stop turning this into a racial issue. She was wrong but it is the reflection of her education and government policies.

Just because she said that to discipline the students does not make her racist. It is just she couldn't see, like many others, why that's offensive.

And worse still, if we harp on this issue without giving her chance to realise why this is wrong, then we are no different from rest of the Malaysians.

Whenever we see administrators being praised as "seseorang memperjuang bangsa dan agama" (one who champions race and religion), I wonder do they really know the meaning and their role as a civil servant who lives off the bulk of the taxes from the other bangsa and agama.

Gen2indian: When overseas, I always say I am from Malaysia although people people ask me if I am from India.

We have always considered this our home - my father died here and my mother was born here. Yet we are always reminded by somebody, somehow that we are "pendatang" (immigrants) and we should be grateful.

To this racist headmaster, most of your gaji buta comes from the taxes of the "pendatang" you detest so much. Tell that to your fellow racists.

SRMan: If we all go back to India, China and Indonesia, who will be left behind? The Indonesians, Bangladeshis, Myanmar nationals and the Vietnamese to take charge of our country?

Fair Play: The least we could say was that she apologised promptly unlike the other headmaster . Unruly and noisy students are an occupational hazard that teachers face.

All professions have occupational hazards peculiar to their respective profession. It is just some handle stress better than others.

SenyumUnta: This is just like putting off bush fire here and there. As long as the system that mould them into such still exist, it will happen again and again.

So even though she may have apologised, let's not be too happy. But in this case, at least she did apologise.

Muak: I do not believe an apology is enough when the remark is seditious to say the least.

The relevant authorities must haul this HM up for the necessary punishment to be meted out in accordance to the severity of case and what the law provides. Nothing less. Same thing must be accorded to the Sungai Buloh school's HM .

Billster: If I'm Chinese mixed with some Malay and Indian blood, where do I go? Non-stop round trip flight to Indonesia, China and India?

Apology not enough from 'Balik India, China' HM

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