School Must Explain Follow-Up Action On Student Bullying Complaint

PETALING JAYA: The management of a school in Bau, Sarawak, needs to come forward to provide an explanation regarding the follow-up action taken after receiving a complaint about harassment against a Form Two female student.

Mas Gading Member of Parliament, Mordi Bimol, said that the complaint is understood to have been made about two weeks before the bullying incident that caused the victim to be injured.

He said that this matter is very concerning because early preventive measures should have been taken to prevent the suspect’s actions from persisting until it caused physical injury.

“The school management needs to provide an explanation and give serious attention as to why early and effective preventive measures were not taken to stop the suspect’s actions before it escalated into physical injury,” he said in a statement today.

Earlier, the media reported that police are conducting investigations regarding a bullying incident involving a Form Two female student at a school in the Bau district, Sarawak.

Bau District Police Chief, Superintendent Mohd. Haide A. Rahman, said that his department received a report regarding the incident and preliminary investigations found that the incident occurred at around 10 a.m. in a classroom.

According to him, the victim is believed to have been pushed from behind by a classmate, causing her to fall and hit a metal structure on the whiteboard.

Mordi, who is also Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, said that he takes the media reports on the bullying case seriously, which is now being investigated by the police under Section 507B of the Penal Code.

He said that the victim not only suffered physical injuries from being pushed, but was also alleged to have repeatedly faced emotional and physical harassment prior to this.

“It is very saddening to hear that the victim not only suffered physical injuries but had also repeatedly faced emotional and physical harassment such as having her hair pulled previously.

“I pray that this child recovers fully, both from the physical injuries and the psychological trauma she has experienced,” he said.

Mordi also expressed his appreciation to the police for their swift action in opening an investigation paper after the official report was received.

He said that his office places full trust in the police to complete the investigation transparently for the sake of justice for the victim.

“Schools should be the safest institution for students to gain knowledge, and not a place that causes them to feel threatened or afraid to attend classes.

“We cannot allow any schoolchild to feel afraid to attend classes or remain silent about reporting misconduct for fear of retaliation,” he said.

Mordi said that the Mas Gading Parliamentary Office will continue to monitor the development of the case and is ready to cooperate with the State Education Department, the District Education Office (PPD), the school, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG).

“Bullying in any form, whether physical, verbal, or emotional, has no place in Mas Gading. Let us not compromise on the safety of our children,” he said.

Utusan Malaysia