The case of the three Orang Asli children who in October were slapped for not reciting prayers has been referrred to the Kelantan Education Department (JPN), Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong said.

mca youth agm 201012 wee ka siong 03 Wee said this when asked for the progress on the Oct 23 incident at a press conference at the MCA hall in Kuala Lumpur today, since his announcement in Parliament last month that action was “ under way ”.

“I wish to say that every complaint that was filed with the state Education Department, or the Education Ministry, will be acted upon as well as investigated,” he said.

“The action to be taken after the investigation depends on JPN, as we have empowered it to act. It is allowed to act according to the merit of the cases.”

Wee kept reiterating that action has been taken in the matter, but he would not elaborate on what had been done. He said he could not remember every case that was filed and acted on.

“However, what I am sure about is that there has been action and we have already investigated (the incident). We urge the authorities to take the further action necessary.”

Let those investigating do what they should do

The Malaysiakini journalist who raised this question went on to ask about the allegation by the parents of the children that they were offered money to retract their police reports, to which Wee said:

“It’s exactly as you have said. I think that we should allow those conducting the investigation to do what they should do.

“If they (the parents) don’t feel it is right, they can report to the police and we welcome the police to conduct their probe.”

Wee added that he would not condone any behaviour that went against the law.

The parents of the Orang Asli children concerned on Oct 25 lodged a police report against the  teacher from SK Bihai, near Gua Musang in Kelantan, for slapping their children for not praying before their meal.

The parents later claimed that they were offered a total of RM300 by the teachers of the school to withdraw their police report.