CRIMES IN SCHOOL: SAIFUDDIN PLEDGES TRANSPARENT, PROFESSIONAL INVESTIGATION

TANJONG MALIM, Oct 15 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has promised a transparent and professional investigation into the recent criminal incidents that have occurred in school premises.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also stressed that those involved would be brought to justice in accordance with the law.

He said the public's confidence, especially parents' needed to be strengthened in line with the slogan "there is no separation between the police and the community."

"... in the aspect of school safety, the people have the right to focus on because their children are sent to school.

"The problem is that we must strengthen the confidence of the people, the community including parents if it is related to a crime incident at school, then we will bring the perpetrator to justice using existing laws," he said in his speech at the Handover Ceremony of the Mualim District Headquarters (IPD) Construction Project here today.

Also present was Minister of Works Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

Saifuddin Nasution said that apart from the child-related act, his party would also conduct investigations using the Penal Code such as 302, 375 or 377B on related cases.

He also stressed that the police would not compromise on any crime incident at school no matter who the perpetrator was, but that role cannot be placed solely on the shoulders of the police.

"It has to involve the school, it has to involve the community leaders, opinion leaders, because we want to encourage everyone's cooperation in this aspect of security," he said.

In yesterday's incident, a Form 4 female student died, believed to have been stabbed by a Form 2 male student at a secondary school in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya.

Last week, in an incident at a school in Alor Gajah, Melaka, a Form 3 female student was believed to have been raped by several senior students.

-- BERNAMA