By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 11: The parents of a six-year-old girl with autism are demanding justice after their daughter was allegedly mistreated by a teacher, resulting in visible injuries to her face and mouth, at an education centre in Batu Kawa on June 18.
The parents, wishing to be known as Mr and Mrs Law, have endured nearly four months of frustration, waiting for the law to take its course after taking all the necessary procedures, only to be let down by ineffectual processes. Desperate for help, they turned to the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party Public Complaints Bureau (SUPP PCB).
In a press conference today, chaired by SUPP PCB chief Milton Foo and the victim’s lawyer, Russell Lim, it was revealed that the police have confirmed the deputy public prosecutor (DPP) will charge the teacher under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt next week, offslight a slight sense of relief for the parents.
“They were initially unaware of the court proceedings on Aug 1,” Foo said, highlighting the lack of official communication.
Lim explained that the case had been mentioned in the Magistrate’s Court on that date, with the teacher facing a bond application under Section 67 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which essentially asks the accused to maintain good behaviour without any punishment.
“As counsel for the victim, I find this a grave injustice and poor handling of the matter, which should not be the case when child abuse is concerned. On Aug 29, I wrote to Attorney General (AG) Chambers to enquire about the status of the case, but for months, we did not receive a response. So after seeking assistance from Milton, we wrote a second letter on Oct 3 to push for the case,” he said.
The AG Chambers, in a letter dated Oct 7, confirmed that after a detailed analysis of the evidence and relevant law, the prosecution would move forward to prosecute the offender.
Mrs Law revealed that the alleged incident happened at the centre, which her daughter went to every weekday after school for care and extra learning, on June 18 at around 4pm.
When picking her up, the teacher mentioned she had fallen, but once in the car, her daughter cried, which was unusual.
“Removing her mask, we saw swollen cheeks, and, following my sister’s advice, we took her to Timberland Medical Centre. The doctor recommended obtaining the centre’s CCTV footage,” she said.
Mrs Law contacted the centre and the principal for the CCTV footage, which they only provided a short clip allegedly showing signs of physical assault. Upon returning to the centre around 7pm, Mrs Law watched the entire footage on-site and was horrified to see her daughter being hit, her hair pulled and treated roughly.
Mrs Law recorded the footage on her phone in the presence of the principal. The teacher apologised repeatedly, but the principal denied responsibility.
The child was taken to Sarawak General Hospital for a full medical examination, and the family filed a police report at 4.30am on June 19 and submitted the footage as evidence. On June 20, Mrs Law engaged Lim to pursue legal action against the teacher and the centre.
“She’s a vulnerable child, unable to defend herself. What could she have done to deserve this? At home, she’s our princess and our happy pill, sometimes mischievous but always obedient. This is heartbreaking,” Mrs Law said, holding back tears.
While justice has been delayed, Foo expressed relief that the AG Chambers is now handling the case seriously, especially given its significance involving a special needs child.
“This is a case of high public interest in nature. No one is above the law, and the parents are simply asking for a fair trial. If found guilty, the teacher must face the consequences,” Foo said.
Foo stressed that abuse of vulnerable children, particularly those with special needs, must never be tolerated and should be prosecuted to send a strong message to society.
Lim added that society has a collective responsibility to protect all children, especially those with special needs, from harm and abuse, particularly in educational institutions entrusted to protect, nurture, teach and guide the young ones.
He praised Mr and Mrs Law for their courage in pursuing justice, noting that many parents shy away from such battles.
“This kind of courage is what we need in our society. Too often, cases like this are swept under the rug because parents don’t want the hassle of bringing them to court.” — DayakDaily
