Umno membership offered to sacked Labuan teacher (with VIDEO)

A relief teacher from Labuan who was sacked by Islamic affairs authorities after attending a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah has now received a membership form to join Umno.

Religious instructor Qatrun Nada Mohd Latfi (centre in photo) said the form was hand-delivered to her school on Oct 11, two days after she had received “advice” from an Umno leader who is also a senator, in a telephone call on Oct 9.
“He wanted to know whether I was involved in the opposition party’s political activities."
Qatrun said the senator told her over the phone that, as a civil servant, she could only participate in activities under Umno.

She claimed she did not fill out the form and had then received atermination notice of her service on Oct 24, with effect from Dec 1.
Qatrun said this after submitting a memorandum on her plight to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today.
“I believe none of this should happen to those of us who serve the country as teachers. I deserve the freedom to choose my own activities outside of work,” she told Suhakam.
'She requested for membership form'
The Umno leader in question, Labuan Umno acting chief Yunus Kurus, confirmed he had sent the party membership form.

However, Yunus claimed this was done on Qatrun's request.

Yunus also admitted to telephoning Qatrun to verify a report that a Jawi relief religious teacher was allegedly campaigning for PAS, and claimed she confirmed she was involved with PAS.
“I called her up to ask if it was true that she had joined PAS. She could even laugh (during the call). I told her that it was her right (to join any party).

“She asked for the (Umno membership) form, so I gave it to her,” he said.
During the earlier briefing with Suhakam, Qatrun had admitted that she had asked for the membership form, but only in jest.
Yunus (left) said when contacted that he had no authority to fire Qatrun as her position is under Jawi's purview.

“It wasn’t me who terminated (her service). I have no authority to terminate anyone,” he said, further denying Qatrun’s allegation that he had stated that only civil servants who were Umno members could get involved in politics.

“That is not true. It is all talk."

He urged Qatrun to contact him if her claims about her dismissal were true.

Suaram: Sacking political in nature

Human rights NGO Suaram coordinator Syukri Razab, who had accompanied Qatrun when she filed her complaint, said the series of events preceding her sacking confirmed that the termination of her service was political in nature.

Syukri said the sacking, believed to be linked to the teacher’s attendance at an opposition ceramah, contravened the basic human right to association.
When previously contacted, an official at Jawi headquarters refused comment and told Malaysiakini to contact the Labuan Jawi office instead, which also refused comment.


VIDEO | 3.29 mins