KOTA KINABALU: Former State Education Department director Datuk Maimunah Suhaibul is the second cousin of an English teacher of SMK Taun Gusi, Kota Belud who allegedly did not turn up for class to teach the subject for seven months in 2015, the High Court heard today.
Subpoena witness Maimunah disclosed this when she testified before judge Datuk Ismail Brahim in the hearing of the civil suit filed by plaintiff Siti Nafirah Siman, 23.
The seventh witness was answering a question from Siti Nafirah's counsel Shireen Sikayun on whether she has any family ties with the English teacher Mohd Jainal Jamran.
Maimunah who held a director post from 2016 until 2018 also agreed that there was an investigation to look into Siti Nafirah's claims after a civil suit was filed in 2018.
However, when asked a series of questions relating to the investigation including the finding of the investigation, Maimunah keeps saying: "I do not remember".
To a suggestion, Maimunah disagreed that the integrity of the investigation was jeopardised due to her family ties with Jainal.
During a cross-examination by senior federal counsel Mohd Hafizi Abd Halim, Maimunah agreed that even though she and Jainal had family ties, she still carried out her duties with integrity and fairness.
Maimunah agreed that there was an investigation into Jainal after the state education department received news related to the suit.
Hafizi: Do you agree that the state education department has taken immediate and appropriate action against Jainal?
Maimunah: After the news about the lawsuit came out in the newspaper, we took action to investigate.
Hafizi: Do you agree that you had given instructions to your officers to investigate and take appropriate action regarding Jainal's issue?
Maimunah: Yes. Investigations related to news reports in the newspapers.
Another subpoena witness, former State Education Department deputy director Datuk Dr Mohd Kasim Mohd Ibrahim testified that he did not remember much on the investigation of Jainal's absenteeism.
Mohd Kasim who received "Tokoh Pendidikan" during an appreciation ceremony yesterday agreed to a suggestion that as a deputy director, he only acted on the director's direction.
Meanwhile, former Academic Management Sector Head of the state Education Department Abidin Marjan revealed that until the end of the investigation and his presence in the school, he did not see or was shown "Buku Pengesahan Guru Masuk Kelas" to prove Jainal's absenteeism.
The subpoena witness said he could not see the document because the school principal could not show him the said document.
Further, Abidin who is now the state education deputy director, said he requested other documents from the principal and the teachers, and they only presented him with exercise books, especially English books.
Federal Counsel Mohd Fazriel Fardiansyah Abdul Kadir also acted for the defendants.
In the suit filed on Oct 30, 2018, Siti Nafirah had named her ex-English teacher Jainal as the first defendant while Suid Hanapi (as the then principal of SMK Taun Gusi), the Kota Belud district education officer, Sabah education director, education director-general, education minister and the government as the second until seventh defendants, respectively.
The trial is adjourned to Aug 28 till 30.