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No action taken against Penang teacher who caned, kicked 9-year-old; parents demand justice

NIBONG TEBAL: A 9-year-old boy who was allegedly struck and kicked by his English teacher earlier this month is still traumatised by the incident and is undergoing counselling.

The incident is said to have occurred at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Sentosa here at about 10am on Aug 2.

Behaving in a manner typical of 9-year-olds, the boy had been playing with his friend in their unattended classroom when at one point, he ran out of his class into the corridor.

Teaching in an adjacent classroom, the teacher, in his 50s, spotted the boy and approached him before twice striking the boy’s back with a cane. The terrified boy instantly returned to his seat.

Still unsatisfied, the teacher entered the classroom, grabbed the boy and began dragging him back out to the corridor. Along the way, the boy’s mouth slammed into a desk, causing him to fall to the floor.

While on the floor, the teacher kicked the boy in the waist three times.

Around the time of the incident, the boy’s mother, N. Malarvelly, 40, happened to be at the school, as she had dropped by to pass food to her elder daughter.

Later, she visited her son, but he was acting strangely and revealed nothing of what had happened to him.

However, his classmates related the entire incident to Malarvelly, who was shocked and outraged by what she heard.

Malarvelly stormed to the headmistress' office and complained about what happened.

She then lodged a report at the Seberang Prai Selatan district police headquarters and took her son to the Seberang Jaya Hospital, where he was warded for two days.

A week later, the boy resumed class, but returned home crying to his mother, telling her that he feared being attacked by the teacher again.

The following day, Malarvelly learned that the teacher who had beaten her son had not faced any disciplinary action, as he was still teaching at the school. In fact, he had entered her son’s classroom, terrifying the boy.

"I asked the headmistress why that man was still teaching there (and why no action was taken against him). She proposed that my son change classes instead.

“There was even no progress in the police investigation.

"(Now), I am having restless nights thinking about his future. He is a bright student, but now he refuses to go to school for fear that he would have to face the teacher again," Malarvelly said in between sobs.

The boy's father, L. Edwin, 40, wants the teacher to be immediately removed from the school and arrested by the police.

"No point in him being transferred to another school. Let my son be his last victim. This guy should be jailed," he said.

The entire incident was related at a press conference organised by Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) councillor David Marshal today.

Providing an update on the case, David said that police are still investigating the incident and will record statements from witnesses.

But he is dissatisfied by the slow pace and lack of progress of the probe.

"This is absurd... already two weeks, yet they have made no progress.

"Jawi assemblyman So¬on Lip Chee will officially write to the Education Ministry and the state Education Department, urging for serious action to be taken against the teacher," David said.

Meanwhile, state Education Department director Shaari Osman told the New Straits Times that they will wait for the police investigation to conclude before taking any action.

However, the Department has ordered that the teacher not teach in the boy's class.

"It is disheartening to hear of such things happening to the boy.

"We have also initiated (our own) investigation. We will follow the standard operating procedure and ensure justice is served for all parties involved," Shaari added.

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