The Prisons Department has denied claims by 32 students of SMK Bandar Baru Uda, Johor Bahru that they were physically abused during a motivational camp at Kluang Prison, last week.

Prisons director-general Zulkifli Omar said preliminary investigations found the claims by the students that they were punched, hit and ill-treated, were untrue.

"We will announce the results of the investigation from time to time and hope it could be solved by August 5," he told a press conference with Education director-general Abdul Ghafar Mahmud at the Home Ministry in Putrajaya today.

According to newspaper reports today, the students claimed they went through a horrifying experience when they were abused by programme staff after taking part in a motivational camp a la convict style for three days and two nights at Kluang Prison starting from Friday evening.

They claimed that not only were their hair cut short like a convict's, they were also slapped, punched and treated like prison inmates when some of the students were traumatised after being handcuffed.

Zulkifli said the the motivational programme which was known as Crime Prevention Programme 'Price of freedom', had already been carried out six times.

It had the blessings of the district office, schools and the PTAs in the related district.

Action would be taken

Zulkifli also gave his guarantee, action would taken against the personnel involved, if the investigations proved the claims of the students to be true.

Meanwhile, Abdul Ghafar said a meeting involving parents, students, the management of the school and Kluang Prison would be held tomorrow to find a solution to the case.

"After tomorrow's meeting, I will ask the Johor Education Department director to prepare a full report so that further action could be taken," he said.

He said the motivational course was to impart an awareness among the students through learning and education on the prevention of crime. He would study the programme to determine if there was a need to change the module.

- Bernama