Hell camp: Cops question 13 so far, to interview minors separately

 

Police have recorded statements from 13 individuals to facilitate an investigation into the alleged abuse of pupils during a motivational camp held at a school in Serdang last week.

Serdang district police chief AA Anbalagan told Malaysiakini that among those they have questioned so far include facilitators engaged by the primary school, its teachers, and parents of pupils who participated in the two-day camp.

Malaysiakini learned those questioned include the programme’s lead facilitator, who is a doctor attached to a medical facility in Sarawak. He was also considered the main suspect who allegedly assaulted one of the victims.

Anbalagan confirmed that the doctor’s statement had been taken earlier this week but declined to reveal further.

According to the officer, investigators are calling several others to record their statements, including students who were allegedly abused and witnesses to the incidents.

“So far, we have recorded statements from 13 individuals. There will be more to be called in soon before we can wrap up the investigation.

“We expect to submit our investigation paper to the deputy public prosecutor by next week,” he said.

Anbalagan said police have yet to interview the victims and students who witnessed the alleged abuses as they are underaged and require a special procedure.

For this purpose, he added, the pupils would be handled by a team of professionals in interviewing children at the police’s Child Interview Centre (CIC).

Serdang district police chief AA Anbalagan

CIC is a special facility parked directly under the Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11) of Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department.

Stripped, slammed into a wall

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that some 60 pupils of a primary school in Serdang had gone through a harrowing experience when they attended a motivational camp, which was held between December 3 and 4 inside the school premises.

The alleged abuses they had to go through include being stripped to their underwear and hosed down in the middle of a school field and forced to do hundreds of squats as punishment for chatting, among others.

One of the facilitators had allegedly held a Standard 5 boy by the neck, slammed him into a wall, slapped him multiple times, and hit him with a broom.

The facilitator had reportedly accused the boy of bringing a vape to the camp and was allegedly unsatisfied by the victim’s repeated denials during questioning - prompting the physical violence.

As of yesterday, police reportedly had received a total of four police reports from parents.

It was learned that a group of parents had gathered at the school on Monday to demand an explanation from its management.

A meeting was then held the next day between parents, the school management, representatives of the state Education Department, and police, according to a source.

Malaysiakini has reached out to the Education Ministry for comments. It was learned that the Selangor Education Department has been ordered to investigate and they are expected to issue a statement soon.

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Note: Malaysiakini is withholding the name of the school and NGO that handled the motivational camp, pending their response.

- Mkini