GEORGE TOWN: The 13-year-old boy, nabbed on suspicion of molesting about 14 boys, believed to be persons with disability at a secondary school in Kepala Batas recently, has been suspended from school.
Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying said the Form One student, who is also a person with disability, has been suspended indefinitely.
"The boy has been sent home. For now, no time frame has been set (for his suspension).
"We need to see the progress of police's investigation into the case before we make any further announcements.
"The case is now under police investigation and we will await the outcome," she told the press here today.
She was met at the SMK St Xavier's excellence appreciation ceremony
Lim said, as for the 14 victims who are still at the school's dormitories, the ministry has started providing them with counselling.
She said the school's warden had also tightened checks and started patrolling the school's dormitory to prevent a recurrence of similar incident.
"Counselling is very important and good for the victims, more so they are special needs students.
"They need as much attention as possible," she added, noting that they had even roped in counsellors from other schools to assist the victims.
Lim said the school had also prepared a report on the incident to be sent to the ministry based on the guidelines of one-day, three-day and seven-day.
"We are now in the three-day period. That is the guideline," she said.
It was reported that police are expected to wrap up their investigations into the 13-year-old, suspected of molesting about 14 boys, believed to be persons with disability, at a secondary school here recently.
Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Asri Shafie said, to date, they have recorded statements from 12 of the 14 victims.
He said they would record statements from another two victims soon.
On Saturday, police detained a 13-year-old on suspicion of molesting about 14 Form One boys, believed to be persons with disability, at a secondary school recently.
Police received a report from the school's principal about the incident which allegedly happened at the school's dormitory.
He said all the victims had various degrees of disabilities, from visibility, hearing impairment, autism and slow learning.
The case is probed under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.