SHAH ALAM, July 12 (Bernama) -- A woman who lost her post as an untrained
attachment teacher two years ago because she was expecting won her case at the
High Court here today.
Judge Datuk Zaleha Yusof found for the plaintiff, Noorfadilla Ahmad Saikin,
29, and declared the termination of her employment in Jan 12 2009 as
unconstitutional, null and void.
Noorfadilla, from Kajang, filed a suit in May 2010 and named the Government
Relief Teachers Group special officer Chayed Basirun, Hulu Langat district
education officer Ismail Musa and former Selangor education director Dr Zahri
Aziz as defendants.
The other defendants included the Government of Malaysia, Education Minister
and Education director-general.
Zaleha ordered all defendants to pay the plaintiff costs, general
damages and eight per cent interest per annum on the general damages.
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COURT-EXPECTING 2 SHAH ALAM
Noorfadilla''s counsel, Edmund Bon, said the court was satisfied his client
had the right to refer to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women 1979/81 in interpreting Article 8(2)of the Federal
Constitution which stated that there shall not be gender-based discrimination in
public.
With Malaysia as a signatory, the convention has the force of law here, he
said.
Noorfadilla stated in her affidavit that when she attended the interview at
the Hulu Langat Education Office on January 2 2009, she was only asked to
complete a declaration form with personal details and academic qualification.
She also said there were no questions about her health or physical status
during the interview.
She received the job offer in an SMS from the Hulu Langat district education
officer on Jan 12 2009.
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COURT-EXPECTING 3 (LAST) SHAH ALAM
Noorfadilla said that it was only during a briefing that an officer from the
same department told all expectant candidates to make an admission.
When she and two others admitted to being pregnant, the officer took back
their posting memos and gave excuses as to why expectant women were not suitable
for the job, she said.
-- BERNAMA
FAI HAZ PA NZM