The Education Ministry has identified several individuals whomay be responsible for the leak in the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) Science and English papers.
 
Second Education Minister Idris Jusoh ( left ) said teams from the ministry have identified four "hotspots" and zeroed in on several individuals.
 
However, Idris did not reveal where the hotspots are as it will interfere with the investigation.
 
"We are communicating with the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and we were told that they have detected several individuals who might be responsible," he told a press conference today.
 
Idris added that it would not be long before the culprits are found.
 
"We will find the traitors, and I believe that maximum penalty should be meted out to the culprits responsible," he said.
 
However, he did not specify what the maximum penalty would be as it would depend on the particular offence made.
 
He also did not reveal whether the individuals responsible were from the ministry itself.
 
"I can't say anything until the investigation is completed," Idris said.

The Science and English papers the Standard Six pupils sat for yesterday were found to have been leaked on the social media, forcing them to have to re-sit the papers on Sept 30. 

Meanwhile, when asked, Idris said the ministry is claiming responsibility over the incident.

“The ministry should be responsible for it, that’s why I said we will catch the culprits,” he said, without mentioning whether anyone from the ministry would resign or not.

On the printing of examination papers, he said the ministry only uses one printing place.

'We can't simply print the exam papers'

“Yes, we have a bank of questions, but print-wise, it involves 20 million pieces of paper. We can’t simply print the examination papers since it involves safety concerns,” he said, adding that it was also not a matter of cost.

Idris had earlier explained how examination papers are kept inside two envelopes which are then placed inside a sack bag before being zipped and tied with a “mouse tail”.

“We are always improving our standard operating procedure, with the last revision in 2013.

“But technology changes, that is why we want high-profile individuals to be in the panel.”

Idris said yesterday that an independent and high-profile panel would be set up soon to investigate the leaks which he felt had tarnished the credibility and integrity of the ministry.

“We will wait until Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin comes back from his trip before discussing further with him about the independent panel,” he said today.

When asked whether counselling would be given to affected students, Idris said he will inform teachers to conduct counselling sessions on the students.

Meanwhile, Utusan Malaysia reported that police have called up three individuals for questioning, including a primary school teacher from Johor.

Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department chief Gan Kong Meng is reported as saying that they were called to help find the culprits behind the UPSR paper leaks.

“No one has been arrested yet. What is important is that we are investigating to gather information first,” Gan is quoted as saying today.

The police have formed a special task force to investigate the leaked UPSR Science and English examination papers.

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