KUALA LUMPUR – The Education Ministry is looking into claims that 14-year-old Muhammad Daniel Akmal Zulkhairi, who was missing for nearly two days before he was found last night, was bullied at school.
The ministry in a statement said it is investigating the allegations made by the boy’s mother Shuhada Jamaludin in media reports, and would ensure that the issue is resolved speedily.
Daniel is a Form 2 student at SM Sains Alam Shah in Cheras.
Shuhada had claimed that her son was bullied in the boarding school, which prompted him to flee.
She was also reported to have said that the bullying had left her son depressed, while she as the mother had been advised to settle Daniel’s complaints with his bullies amicably instead of pressing charges.
Shuhada, however, did not state who had given her such advice.
The ministry also reminded schools to follow instructions in a recent internal memo, dated November 3, on how to deal with bullying in all education institutions under the ministry’s purview.
“We have also provided four channels for students, parents as well as the community to lodge their complaints on cases of bullying and sexual harassment.
“The available channels are through a special hotline set up to lodge complaints on such issues, Whatsapp message, email to [email protected] and via Public Complaints Management System.”
Daniel was reported missing at 1.21pm on Thursday, after last being seen at 12.30am earlier the same day on the grounds of his school.
This morning, it was reported that he was found last night, in a weak state, at a mosque in Bandar Tun Razak, and had been reunited with his family. – December 9, 2023