MOE denies shielding parties in school bullying cases, vows full cooperation in Zara probe
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the ministry has never sought to shield any party involved in such incidents, contrary to certain allegations.
'The ministry will not compromise on any matter related to bullying. Secondly, MOE will not and has never attempted to protect anyone involved, as alleged,' he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Semporna MP Tan Sri Shafie Apdal, who referred to the ongoing bullying case involving Zara Qairina and asked what measures were being taken to protect students and ensure justice.
Shafie also stressed that law enforcement must not protect any party involved, regardless of their identity.
Wong said the ministry has always been ready to cooperate fully with police in assisting investigations at all levels.
He added that the ministry has established guidelines and circulars (SPI) to address disciplinary issues and bullying in schools, which are enforced and updated periodically to strengthen preventive measures.
Zara, 13, reportedly fell from the third floor of her school dormitory in Papar on July 16 and was pronounced dead the following day, amid widespread public concern over allegations that her death may have involved school bullying and a cover-up.
The exhumation of her remains at the Tanjung Ubi Muslim Cemetery in Kampung Mesapol, Sipitang, was completed at 7.15pm on Saturday.
They were later sent to Queen Elizabeth I Hospital (HQEI) for a post-mortem scheduled the following morning.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Akmal threatens ‘class' for man who flew flag upside down if he's not charged
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh said the hardware store owner should be charged under a section of the law that provides a heavier sentence. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has threatened to give the hardware store owner in Penang a 'class' in the form of a protest if he is not charged in court by Thursday. 'We will give the prosecutors two days … tomorrow and Wednesday. 'If no charges are made against this person by Thursday, I will go and give a class to teach this 'ah pek' how to correctly put up a flag,' he said in a video on Facebook. 'If this is hushed up … no matter, we will wait for the prosecutors to decide whether to charge or not. 'We ask for this person to be charged under a section (of the law) that provides for a stiffer sentence,' he said. Yesterday, police arrested the 59-year-old hardware store owner for hoisting the Jalur Gemilang upside down the day before. Acting Penang police chief Alwi Zainal Abidin said the investigation paper will be referred to the deputy public prosecutor's office today for further action. He said 16 reports had been received nationwide over the incident, including 12 from within Penang. The video of the incident showed a man hoisting the flag while another recorded it. Malaysiakini reported that the hardware shop owner said he was measuring the length of an iron pole while hanging the flag and did not notice that it was upside down. The owner said he rectified the mistake immediately after realising it. He apologised for the blunder and lodged a report at the Kepala Batas police station to provide an explanation.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
RM8.4mil to provide Jalur Gemilang badges for 5mil students
Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said getting students to wear the Jalur Gemilang badge on their uniforms is one of the ministry's initiatives to instil patriotism and love for the country from an early age. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A total of RM8.4 million was allocated to procure Jalur Gemilang badges for 5.14 million students, including those in schools, matriculation colleges, Form Six colleges, and teacher training institutions. In a written parliamentary reply, education minister Fadhlina Sidek said the funds were disbursed to state education departments and educational institutions in February based on student enrolment numbers. A total of 91 suppliers were involved in supplying the badges, with each student receiving two Jalur Gemilang badges free of charge. Fadhlina said the procurement process was managed by the state education departments, district education offices, and institutions through the ePerolehan system, either by tender or quotation, depending on the amount of allocation received. She said the state education departments were also granted the flexibility to procure the badges by zones to expedite the supply process and to encourage participation from a larger pool of qualified suppliers. Fadhlina said parents are allowed to provide additional badges of the same size and suitable material if desired. 'Wearing the Jalur Gemilang badge on students' uniforms is one of the ministry's initiatives to instil patriotism and love for the country among students from an early age,' she said. She was responding to a question by Latiff Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai) about the total cost incurred by the government in supplying Jalur Gemilang badges to all students under the ministry's institutions and which company supplied them. Public school students started wearing the Jalur Gemilang badge on their school uniforms in March. However, the education ministry said no disciplinary action will be taken against those who fail to do so.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus arrives for official visit
Bangladesh's chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, was received by home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail at KLIA Terminal 1 upon his arrival today. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Bangladesh's chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, arrived in Malaysia today for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Yunus and his delegation were received by home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on their arrival at KLIA Terminal 1, Bernama reported. Wisma Putra said the visit is in response to Anwar's official trip to Bangladesh in October last year. Yunus, who is accompanied by several advisers and senior government officials, will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the Perdana Putra Complex tomorrow. This will be followed by a bilateral meeting with Anwar. The two leaders are expected to discuss regional and international developments of mutual concern and review progress in Malaysia-Bangladesh relations in key areas such as trade and investment, labour cooperation, education, tourism and defence. Both leaders will also witness the signing of several MoUs in areas such as defence, energy, strategic and international studies, semiconductor capacity building, and trade promotion. Wisma Putra said Anwar will host an official luncheon at the Seri Perdana Complex in honour of Yunus and his delegation. Bangladesh is Malaysia's second-largest trading partner and export destination in South Asia. Total trade between the two nations reached RM13.35 billion last year, an increase of 5.1% compared with 2023. The major Malaysian exports to Bangladesh include petroleum products, palm oil, and chemicals, while imports comprise mainly of textiles, footwear, and manufactured items. The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and foster stronger cooperation in areas of mutual benefit, building upon the strong foundation established since diplomatic ties were forged in 1972.
