According to a source who declined to be named, most national-level office bearers in the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) are in civil service grades above DG48.

Under a directive from the Chief Secretary to the Government, an office-bearer in the union must be in a position below Grade DG48 and must not hold an administrative position in a school, district education office, state education department or the education ministry.

Under the Trade Union Act and a circular issued by the chief secretary to the government and the Department of Trade Union Affairs (JHEKS), office bearers holding administrative posts must relinquish their positions.

The source alleged that these unqualified office bearers had refused to step down.

“On numerous occasions, they have tried to appeal,” he said. “These appeals were turned down and they were then asked to relinquish their positions by the chief secretary to the government and JHEKS.”

He said many union members were asking why these office-bearers were refusing to abide by the law and were concerned over the implications to the union and its finances.

Every member contributes RM10 per month to NUTP via a deduction made through the National Co-operative Movement of Malaysia (Angkasa).

“This amounts to RM3 million a month,” the source said. “That is a lot of money. Why are these officials still signing cheques at the branch and headquarters level when they have been asked to leave?

“JHEKS is looking into this matter but what we want is for the director-general to act on this matter. NUTP is a union of teachers who are supposed to be an example to others.”

When contacted NUTP secretary-general Wang Heng Suan declined comment.

FMT is also contacting human resources minister M Saravanan and JHEKS director-general Kamal Pardi for their comments.