NIBONG TEBAL: The Jawi magistrate’s court has fixed May 3 as the trial date for the case of teacher Noor Idzahril Ahmad, 52, who is accused of striking his student last August.
Magistrate Hizween Azleena Othman Kamal fixed the date after the prosecution submitted a medical report on the student to the court.
Lawyer Mohd Fadhly Yaacob, representing Noor Idzahril – known among his supporters as “Cikgu Idzahril” – said that they had requested for an earlier trial date, as the case is a matter of public interest.
"We proposed for a March trial, which is during the school holidays. However, the court has to attend to several other cases (in March).
"(However), we are prepared with all (the necessary) documents and will finalise the list of witnesses with our client," he said.
Idzahril, an English teacher at SK Sungai Acheh, was charged with hitting a Year Three pupil of SK Sri Sentosa on Aug 2 last year.
According to the case facts, Idzahril struck the student for making noise while he was teaching.
He was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum one year jail term, or a maximum RM2,000 fine, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Uzair Abd Munir prosecuted.
Meanwhile, about 50 supporters of Idzahril’s, including several non-governmental organisations (NGOs), gathered outside the court compound.
Also present were Congress of Unions of Teachers in the Malaysian Education Service president Datuk Mohamed Sabri Mohd Arsad, and Federation of Malay Students Union (GPMS) president Zambri Mohd Isa.