A viral video of a Malaysian teacher conducting an online Mathematics lesson has sparked outrage among netizens due to a comment from one of his students, which many found disrespectful and impolite.

Originally shared on TikTok by @damie.s, where it amassed 1.4 million views, the video quickly spread to other platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), where a related post garnered over 1.2 million views.

In the video, the teacher, Fathi, is seen teaching an Algebra lesson in English via a virtual whiteboard. The session was interrupted when one of his students, Shamil, left a controversial comment criticizing the use of English in the lesson.

The comment read:

“I’m Malay, sir, not a coloniser.”

Surprised by the remark, Fathi calmly addressed Shamil, asking why he felt the need to make such a statement.

"Can I know, Shamil? Do you feel proud when you say something like that?" Fathi asked.

"Do you think it makes you more ‘Malay’? Or superior in some way? Is this what you've been taught?"

Fathi went on to explain that his lessons are conducted in both Bahasa Melayu and English, emphasizing that his goal is not just to make his students "Jaguh Kampung" (champions only in their own local context).

Watch here: