In a statement today, the party’s national vice-chairman M Kulasegaran said the professor should be immediately suspended pending the outcome of investigations into the incident.
On Feb 17, student Lalitha Sudeshna and her friend Rinishah were said to be in class when the professor told them not to sit together.
In a Facebook post demanding an apology from the lecturer, Lalitha said the professor had told them, “India, saya tak suka India duduk bersama-sama. Jangan bawa budaya Unitar kesini. India duduk sama-sama lepas itu akan tiru assignment dan plagiarise. Saya kenal India (I don’t like Indians sitting together. Don’t bring the Unitar culture here. If Indians sit together, they will copy assignments and plagiarise. I know Indians).”
Lalitha added that the professor had also said, “Saya akan pastikan awak dan kawan awak tak akan dapat kumpulan sama untuk buat assignment. Saya tahu India macam mana. (I will make sure you and your friend are not in the same group for assignments. I know what Indians are like.)”
The Facebook post quickly went viral, with many criticising the professor’s behaviour and expressing support for the students. Following this, Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan said the university had formed a five-member panel to investigate the allegation.
Kamalanathan also said he had contacted UM’s vice-chancellor, Professor Mohd Amin Jalaludin, for clarification. According to Amin, he said, the university will issue a public statement once the investigation is complete.
Today, Kulasegaran welcomed UM’s action, calling it a “swift and necessary response to the complaint”.
“There must be zero tolerance for any racist insult, especially in a university. If the allegation is found to be true, severe disciplinary action must be taken against the lecturer,” the Ipoh Barat MP said.
“Professors like this are misfit academicians who endanger peace and tranquility in our multiracial society.
“She should be suspended and even removed permanently from teaching. However, is she the only professor/lecturer of this character?”