By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 5: The death of a Form Four student on school premises in Yong Peng, Batu Pahat, in Johor should serve as a wake-up call for the government to conduct a comprehensive and transparent review of school safety system nationwide.
In a statement, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Batu Kitang organising secretary Gerald Goh said school safety must go beyond being primarily a response mechanism after an incident has occurred and become a stronger prevention mechanism designed to identify and address risks before tragedy strikes.
“Particular attention should be given to cases involving serious disciplinary concerns, violent behaviour, persistent bullying or other warning signs that may indicate a student is at risk of harming themselves or others.
“Such cases should be supported by a structured, cross-agency risk assessment, and early intervention mechanism, involving the relevant authorities, school administrators, counsellors, parents and, where necessary, law enforcement agencies,” he said.
He noted that the Ministry of Education (MOE) has already outlined measures to strengthen school safety, including security audits, CCTV and monitoring systems, emergency response procedures, and closer cooperation between schools and the police, as well as strengthened student protection.
However, he said that the question is not simply whether policies exist, but whether these policies are effectively implemented in every school and across every part of the school environment.
“We should not wait for every tragedy to occur before holding meetings, issuing statements and announcing new commitments, only for the urgency to fade once public attention moves elsewhere.
“A comprehensive policy is of little value if it is not properly implemented. An expensive CCTV system cannot protect students if no one is monitoring it. And even the most effective complaint mechanism will fail if students are afraid to use it,” he said.
Most importantly, he said, students themselves must be empowered to become part of the early-warning system, as they are often the first to notice suspicious activities, threats, bullying or changes in behaviour among their peers.
He said students should be encouraged and given the confidence to report such concerns through a safe, confidential, and properly protected reporting system, without fear of retaliation, intimidation or being labelled as a ‘tattletale’.
“What we need is not simply another cycle of shock, condolences and promises following every tragedy.
“What we need is a school safety system that is consistently implemented, actively monitored and capable of preventing tragedies before they happen—with students themselves given a safe and protected voice in identifying potential risks,” he said.
He also called on the public to respect the ongoing police investigation and not spread unverified information or draw their own conclusions on the motive, circumstances or individuals involved until these matters have been established by the authorities. — DayakDaily
