By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 14: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Central Women Section chairperson Kho Teck Wan has questioned whether Malaysia’s education system has failed following two shocking incidents of violence in schools involving the alleged gang rape of a 15-year-old student by her schoolmates in Melaka and the fatal stabbing of a Form Four student by her junior in Petaling Jaya.
Kho said the tragedies have raised serious concerns about moral values, mental health, and safety in schools, stressing that the education system introduced decades ago must be reviewed urgently to address the challenges faced by today’s students.
“With these two recent incidents in secondary schools, I begin to wonder if our education system introduced decades ago in public secondary schools has failed us. Perhaps a revision of the education system is needed to suit today’s context,” she said in a statement today.
Expressing deep anger and sorrow over the tragedies, Kho described both incidents as a violation of the rights, safety, and dignity of young females. She said they also revealed systemic failures in school safety, discipline and support mechanisms.
“I strongly condemn these acts and wish to convey my sincere condolences to the victims and their families. SUPP Women share your pain, and we stand in solidarity with you,” she said.
Kho called on the police, the Education Ministry, and all relevant agencies to act swiftly and thoroughly, stressing that victims and families need immediate medical care, psychological counselling, legal advice, and protection.
“Justice must be served. All levels of school administration and education oversight must be investigated, and those found negligent must be held accountable,” she stressed.
Highlighting the need to strengthen security and staff training in schools, Kho said the recent events exposed glaring weaknesses in access control, monitoring, and staff preparedness.
“It is sad to say that our schools’ security, access control, monitoring, and staff training must be revisited and strengthened immediately,” she added.
She further called on parents to take their children’s mental health seriously, noting that young people’s behaviour and actions often reflect their home environment.
“There is an urgent need to introduce complaint and reporting systems in schools, including anonymous hotlines. Students should feel empowered to speak out without fear,” she said.
Kho proposed that teachers, administrative staff, and students be trained to spot warning signs, report incidents, and respond appropriately during emergencies.
She also urged the government to review and strengthen laws related to sexual offences, school violence, and juvenile justice to close loopholes and ensure stronger deterrence.
“I suggest that punishment should also include legal guardians or parents of juvenile perpetrators,” she said.
Kho called on Malaysians, including parents, teachers, students, and community leaders, to treat school safety as a collective responsibility.
“Let us refuse silence, demand accountability, and build schools that protect, respect, and uplift every child,” she said.
The alleged gang rape case in Melaka, which reportedly took place on Oct 2, involved a Form Three student who was allegedly assaulted by two Form Five male students while two others recorded the act. The incident came to light only after the video circulated among students and was reported to teachers and the victim’s mother on Oct 10. The four accused students have since been expelled.
In a separate incident today, a 16-year-old female student was stabbed to death by a 14-year-old male student at a secondary school in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya. Police confirmed the suspect’s arrest and said initial investigations found no element of bullying. Multiple stab wounds were found on the victim’s body, and a detailed account of the incident will be released after a post-mortem. The investigation is ongoing. — DayakDaily
