Students allegedly battered for talking in class

IPOH - Two Form One students sustained injuries after their teacher allegedly beat them with a piece of wood for talking in class.

Vincent Lim Wei Shen and Lew Jin Wei, both 13, claimed they were so traumatised by the incident that they refused to attend school after being treated at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.

Lim said the teacher had spotted him and Lew talking to two other classmates during the Local Studies class at about 3.20pm on Monday.

“He came to where we were seated and dragged the four of us to the front of the class.

“I was slapped and kicked before he took a piece of wood to hit me.

“I was also repeatedly kicked,” he said, adding that he had scratches on his neck, injuries to his back and a bloodied nose.

Lim was speaking at a press conference by Perak Barisan Nasional Public Services and Complaints Bureau chiefDatuk Lee Kon Yin.

The boys' parents also attended the conference yesterday.

Lew claimed the teacher had pinched him in the abdomen, causing the area to be swollen and had dragged him by the collar after he had fallen.

Both students lodged a report at the Kampung Simee police station on Tuesday.

Lim's mother, Ung Li Fong, said she had initially thought it was a small matter.

“But when I saw my son's injuries, I was enraged.

“I went straight to the school's disciplinary teacher to seek an explanation but was told that the school authorities would speak to the teacher involved.

“I later met the school principal who told us the matter would be looked into,” said Ung.

Lew's mother Choo Ai Lee said she wanted the teacher to be transferred since this was not the first time he had acted in such a manner.

Lee said the principal had told him that the matter had been resolved because the teacher had agreed to apologise to the students and the parents had consented to this.

However, he said that when he asked both parents, they claimed to have no knowledge of this.

State Education Department director Datuk Rauhi Isa said he had sent his officers to the school to investigate.

- The Star