A teacher accused of cutting a student’s hijab at a secondary school in Lahad Datu last Friday has been transferred to another school.
Sabah State Education Director Datuk Raisin Saidin confirmed that the move was made through the Lahad Datu District Education Office (PPD).
“The teacher has apologized to the student’s parents, and the PPD decided to transfer the teacher to a different school, while the student remains at her current school. The teacher has also replaced the hijab that was cut,” he said in an interview with Sinar Harian on Monday.
The incident went viral online, sparking criticism after claims emerged that the teacher had cut the hijabs of students allegedly deemed “too short” on the first Friday of the 2026 school session. Parents expressed disappointment, saying the act was humiliating, emotionally distressing, and a violation of the students’ property.
Raisin urged teachers to act responsibly and to consider factors such as parents’ ability to provide school necessities before taking disciplinary action.
“At the same time, I advise students to comply with school rules. All regulations are implemented based on the Ministry of Education Malaysia guidelines, which aim to benefit the students,” he added.
He also expressed hope that such incidents would not occur in other schools.
