PM hopes for win-win solution between teacher, Education Ministry in viral incident

BERA: Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob hopes a win-win situation can be achieved on the issue involving teacher Mohd Fadli Mohamed Salleh and the Education, which went viral on Facebook.

The Prime Minister said he was informed about the issue on Sunday (Oct 16) morning, and had later contacted Education director-general Datuk Pkhairuddin Ghazali to get an explanation on the matter.

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According to Ismail Sabri, the ministry's disciplinary committee will also hold a meeting on Monday (Oct 17) to be chaired by the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof to discuss the matter

"Show cause letters are common in government departments, but I hope a positive decision can be reached at tomorrow's meeting. InsyaAllah, what was depicted in the letter or on social media such as being fired, demoted and so on will not happen.

"The ministry cannot let staff who make comments (on social media) get away scot-free, but at the same time, too harsh a punishment for officers and staff is also inappropriate, while officers and staff also need to respect the ministry," he told reporters after attending the "Moh Ngeteh" programme with the Indian community in the Bera parliamentary constituency at the Bera UMNO Complex Hall here Sunday.

Ismail Sabri said he also believed that in order to maintain its integrity, the Education Ministry should listen to the views of not only teachers, but also the community, and based on the reaction received after the issue went viral, many had given negative feedback.

On Saturday, Fadli, a Mathematics teacher at a primary school in Gombak, claimed on his Facebook page that he would be fired or demoted for voicing his views on the learning syllabus which he felt was of too high a level and inappropriate for students.

He also claimed that the number of students in the class was too many, while having too many subjects and the issue of students having to carry heavy bags was harmful to them.

On Sunday, Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin, in a Facebook post, expressed his willingness to meet the teacher.

Fadli also stated on his social media account that he would meet Radzi. - Bernama