School Threatens Student With Inquiring Mind About Rukunegara

SUBANG JAYA - Instead of receiving an encouraging pat on the back for bravely inquiring into the fundamental tenets of the Rukunegara and the meaning of the 'celebration of independence', 17-year-old student Nicol Paul Miranda (pic) was instead slapped with a police report. The report was lodged against him by his school. Nicol Paul never got his answer to his valid questions from the school The ordinary Form Five student, who has since left SMK Vivekananda after his SPM, said the school is also threatening not to release his school leaving certificate which is a requirement to further his tertiary education. Relating the reasons for his suspension, Nicol said: “I questioned why are we celebrating independence when our democracy has not evolved. It is still under the BN regime.” He said his second brush with the authorities took place via his Civics answer sheet for the SPM trials. The question was on the pros of Rukunegara. “I questioned why we needed to recite the Rukunegara’s first principle, Believe in God when places of worship are being demolished. “I also questioned the second principle, Loyalty to the King and Country because it is not right to force an individual to be loyal,” he told newsmen at PKR’s ‘Tweet-Up’ function yesterday. As a result, his trial exam results were not released. He was further suspended for three days. Nicol also claimed that the discipline teachers at his school almost harmed his mother when she went there to query his suspension. “They (school) have also lodged a police report against me in Bukit Aman and Brickfields,” added Nicol who is currently working with a Malaysian NGO on human rights issues. Lembah Pantai MP, Nurul Izzah Anwar who was also present at the function assured Nicol that she would raise the matter with the relevant authorities.