By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 5: Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol has called for an explanation from the management of a secondary school in Bau over its handling of bullying complaints, after police revealed that reports of the alleged harassment had been lodged about two weeks before a Form Two student was allegedly pushed and injured.
In a statement today, Mordi said the revelation was deeply concerning and raised serious questions as to why more effective preventive action had not been taken before the incident escalated into physical injury.
“Based on the police’s statement, complaints regarding the suspect’s harassment of the victim had in fact been submitted to the school about two weeks before this tragic incident occurred.
“This is very worrying. The school management must provide an explanation and give serious attention as to why earlier and more effective preventive measures were not taken to stop the suspect’s actions before they escalated into physical injury,” he said.
The Deputy Youth and Sports Minister was commenting on a bullying case involving a 14-year-old female student at a secondary school in Bau, which is being investigated by police under Section 507B of the Penal Code.
According to Mordi, it was distressing to learn that the victim not only suffered physical injuries after allegedly being pushed into the metal frame of a whiteboard, but had also repeatedly endured emotional and physical harassment, including having her hair pulled on previous occasions.
He expressed hope that the student would make a full recovery from both her physical injuries and psychological trauma.
Mordi also thanked Bau district police chief Supt Mohd Haide A. Rahman and his team for acting swiftly in opening an investigation once an official police report was lodged.
He said he had full confidence in the police to conduct a transparent investigation to ensure justice for the victim.
At the same time, he stressed that no student should ever feel afraid to attend school or remain silent about misconduct for fear of retaliation.
“Schools should be the safest place for our children to pursue their education, not a place where they feel threatened,” he said.
Mordi also urged parents in the Mas Gading constituency to remain attentive to changes in their children’s behaviour, saying open communication between parents, teachers and the authorities is crucial in preventing bullying before it becomes entrenched in society.
He added that his parliamentary office would continue monitoring the case closely and was prepared to work with the State Education Department, District Education Office (PPD), the school and the Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) to strengthen anti-bullying awareness programmes and emotional support in schools throughout the district.
“Bullying in any form, whether physical, verbal or emotional, has no place in Mas Gading. We must never compromise on the safety of our children,” he said. — DayakDaily
