Malacca teens in alleged gang rape expelled - DG

The four students implicated in the gang rape of a 15-year-old at a school in Malacca have been expelled, following a meeting of the school’s disciplinary board, which convened earlier today.

Education director-general Azam Ahmad announced the decision at a press conference in Putrajaya this afternoon, where he also clarified that the students would still be allowed to sit for the SPM later this year.

Azam (above) added that the suspects involved will not be sitting for the exam at school; instead, they will be held in detention or at a separate location.

“Their rights as students and SPM candidates are still granted, while the case will be decided by the authorities,” he said.

Further, Azam assured that the suspects’ rights to sit for the exam would not interfere with ongoing legal proceedings or exempt them from the law.

“Permission for the suspects to take the SPM in no way means they are free from punishment. It does not interfere with the ongoing legal process,” he said, adding that all the suspects are under police remand.

Yesterday, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced at a press conference that her ministry would ensure that the students - two accused of the sexual assault, while the other two kept watch and recorded the act - would not be left behind in their education.

That was followed by widespread backlash, including from lawyers, child rights activists, and the public.

Being underage no excuse

Earlier today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said also stressed that being underage is not an excuse to escape accountability for committing such offences.

She said that although the Education Ministry has its own procedures for handling sexual misconduct, criminal sexual cases fall entirely under the jurisdiction of criminal law.

The suspects were remanded on Oct 10 under orders from the Malacca Magistrate’s Court, and will be undergoing police investigation until Oct 16.

Malacca police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the remand order against the 17-year-old suspects would allow the suspects to be investigated under Section 375B of the Penal Code for gang rape.

Previously, it was reported that the gang rape occurred around 2.50pm on Oct 2 in a classroom at an Alor Gajah school.

The incident unfolded when the victim returned to the classroom on the third floor to retrieve Science project materials that she had left behind.

The victim was believed to have been dragged into the classroom before being raped by two suspects in turns, while two of their other friends witnessed and recorded it using their mobile phones.

The incident came to light after the victim’s mother received information from a school teacher about the video being circulated and subsequently lodged a police report.

Committee to improve students’ safety

Astro Awani reported Azam as saying that the ministry will also set up a committee on student safety, which will involve representatives from Unicef, Suhakam, and other relevant agencies.

“All findings from this special committee or initiative will be consolidated… and we will get a complete and easily referenceable guideline.

“We will issue it as soon as the special committee concludes its work, (expected to be) in December,” he added.

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