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🇲🇾 Malaysia /Culture & Society

NUTP sets aside RM1.5 million a year for teachers’ legal costs

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Malaysia’s National Union of the Teaching Profession has allocated RM1.5 million annually to cover legal costs for members facing civil or criminal proceedings related to their teaching duties.
  • Union president Aminuddin Awang said some cases can cost as much as RM80,000 and that civil suits increasingly target teachers directly.
  • The union had supported 16 cases by August, including three being heard in Kelantan.

The National Union of the Teaching Profession, or NUTP, has set aside RM1.5 million a year to pay legal costs for teachers facing action connected to their work.

NUTP president Aminuddin Awang said the assistance covers civil lawsuits and criminal prosecutions. Legal costs in some cases can reach RM80,000. He said parents and members of the public are increasingly filing civil suits directly against teachers rather than against the government or education departments.

“Sometimes parents or members of the public file civil suits against teachers for various reasons, including matters that could actually be resolved without going to court,” Aminuddin told reporters after the union’s 24th triennial delegates conference in Kota Bharu.

Sometimes parents or members of the public file civil suits against teachers for various reasons, including matters that could actually be resolved without going to court.

· Aminuddin AwangThe NUTP president described the rise in civil claims brought directly against teachers.

He said NUTP also assists members facing criminal prosecution when the union believes the teacher may have been mistreated. By August, 16 cases had received legal support, including three cases being heard in Kelantan.

Among the charges teachers commonly face are cases under Section 323 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, involving the intentional causing of minor injury. “Although it is a criminal allegation, we will still provide a defence for our members,” Aminuddin said.

NUTP maintains a panel of law firms to handle members’ cases. Aminuddin encouraged teachers who have not joined the union to do so in order to access the benefit.

Although it is a criminal allegation, we will still provide a defence for our members.

· Aminuddin AwangHe said the union would defend members accused under Section 323 of the Penal Code.
About this summary

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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