Education authorities ordered to expedite probe into teen’s death

PETALING JAYA: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has directed relevant education authorities to speed up their investigation into the death of a 14-year-old teenager who allegedly took her own life after being bullied at school. In a Facebook post, Fadhlina expressed her thoughts and sympathy towards the family and the school community following the loss of the student from a Kuala Lumpur school.

She emphasized that matters such as bullying and racial taunts must be addressed promptly. The education minister assured that the ministry would cooperate with the police, social welfare department, and health ministry to ensure a comprehensive handling of the matter.

The teenager, identified as Keziah Nisha, received psychosocial support from the ministry's counselling team, and the Smart Support Team has been mobilized to provide crisis intervention to affected students. Fadhlina stressed that the priority is to ensure justice for all parties and maintain a safe educational environment free from bullying and discrimination.

The incident has sparked calls for investigation from various quarters, including PKR Youth chief Kamil Munim, who called for a broader reflection on racism in Malaysian society, fearing that normalized racial hatred among children could lead to bigger problems. PKR deputy secretary-general G Sivamalar also mentioned that the teen's family had lodged a complaint through the government's Public Complaints Management System several months before her death.