Absentee teacher case: Sabah students hope court ruling a lesson to all

KOTA KINABALU: The three students who won a landmark High Court suit against their teacher for failing to turn up for seven months in 2017 want this to be a lesson to all teachers and a motivation for students to speak up when their rights are violated.

In thanking her lawyer Sherzali Herza Asli and everyone who had supported this case one way or another, Rusiah Sabdarin, one of the three students, hopes that constant monitoring on teachers’ performance and attendance in schools will be prioritised.

She said it is also vital that the authorities take heed of complaints from students and not take their voices or grouses lightly.

“I hope all students will have courage to voice their concerns and dissatisfaction when their rights as students are violated,” she said on Wednesday (July 19), a day after the verdict was delivered.

Another plaintiff, Calvina Angayung, said that after six years of waiting and fighting, they can finally breathe a sigh of relief knowing that justice has been served and a precedent has been set for similar cases.

“It remains fresh in my memories when our teacher kept going absent, so much so that many of us failed the English subject.

“With the decision, I feel grateful knowing that my rights are acknowledged and respected by the court,” she said.

Calvina hopes the outcome of this case will motivate others to voice out and fight for what’s just.

She hopes this will also prove that the rights of all Malaysians must be upheld, protected and respected.

“Thank you to our lawyer, the NGOs, activists, my parents and friends as well as everyone who has given us support in so many forms during our fight for justice,” she said.

Nur Natasha Allisya Hamali said after years of struggling and fighting, their patience and determination finally paid off and prayers were answered.

“There were ups and downs throughout our journey in fighting for this case, but with the support of everyone including my family, NGOs, reporters and especially our lawyer, it just kept us going,” she said.

She added that the trial and verdict has made her stronger and boosted her will and drive to strive for a better future.

On Tuesday (July 18), the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruled in favour of the three former students of SMK Taun Gusi in Kota Belud and granted their claims while also awarding nominal and aggravated damages to the students, who are now 22 years old.

There were five defendants in this case, namely former SMK Taun Gusi English teacher Mohd Jainal Jamran, Suid Hanapi (in his capacity as SMK Taun Gusi principal), the Education Ministry director-general, the Education Minister and the government.

The suit was filed in December 2020 by the three against Mohd Jainal for failing to turn up and teach them for seven months in 2017, when they were aged 16.