Education Ministry: Penang teen suspected of molesting schoolmates suspended, sent home
GEORGE TOWN, Dec 4 — A 13-year-old boy, suspected of molesting about 14 other boys in his school in Kepala Batas, has been suspended from the school, Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying said today.
She said the case is under police investigation but the teenager was sent home from the school that also has hostel accommodations for students.
“The suspension is until further notice pending investigations by the police,” she told reporters after attending an excellence appreciation ceremony at St Xavier’s Institution here.
She said the school has been asked to prepare reports on the incident to be submitted to the ministry.
She said the victims have remained in the dormitories and are being given counselling.
“We will tighten patrolling and checks by the school wardens at the dormitories to prevent any further incidents,” she said.
She said all of the victims involved, including the suspect, are special needs students.
“We will also send counsellors from other schools to provide close attention and counselling to the victims,” she said.
She said it is important to focus on the wellbeing and providing support to the victims now.
“We must make sure they are protected and their needs are taken care of,” she said.
On Saturday, Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Asri Shafie said the police received a police report from the school’s headmaster on December 1 that 14 students from the school were allegedly molested by a 13-year-old boy in the school.
The suspect was immediately detained.
He said the victims, aged 13 and 14, had various degrees of disabilities including visual impairment, hearing impairment, autism and slow learning.
Earlier today, he reportedly said the police are wrapping up investigations into the case soon.
The case is probed under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
