KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — The Malaysian Examination Syndicate director and deputy director of operations have been suspended over the two leaked UPSR examination papers, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
English daily the New Straits Times also tweeted the education minister as saying that Education Department deputy director-general Datuk Misrah Ibrahim will take over as Examination Syndicate director pending investigations, after the director Dr Na’imah Ishak and deputy Dr Wan Ilias Wan Salleh were suspended.
“The Examination Board director must be responsible because it affects the integrity of the ministry and public examinations,” Muhyiddin was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama that tweeted his comment at @bernamadotcom.
Bernama reported Muhyiddin, who is also the deputy prime minister, as saying that Na’imah and Wan Ilias were suspended with immediate effect.
Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh reportedly said earlier today that the authorities have identified several individuals suspected of leaking the UPSR English and Science papers affecting nearly 473,000 Primary Six students.
According to Bernama, Idris said four “hotspots” where the papers were compromised ahead of test times have also been identified.
The Education Ministry yesterday confirmed that the UPSR English papers 1 and 2 were leaked ahead of testing, barely a day after it announced similar leaks affecting the Science paper.
Parent groups have expressed outrage over the public examination leaks. The students must now retake the papers on September 30.
