Family of school stabbing victim files civil suit against govt agencies, boy and parents

On October 3, the family of Yap Shing Xuen, a 16-year-old victim of a stabbing at Bandar Utama secondary school, filed a civil suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. The family's lawyer, Surendra Ananth, announced the suit on Thursday, stating that a management review was scheduled for October 29. Wong Lee Ping, Yap's mother, revealed that the lawsuit named multiple government agencies, the boy who allegedly committed the crime, and the boy's parents as defendants.

She emphasized the growing mental health issues among children, urging immediate action instead of waiting for more tragedies. Wong initially announced her intention to pursue civil action in September, nearly a year after her daughter's fatal stabbing on October 14 the previous year. Despite the criminal case moving to appeal after the Shah Alam High Court acquitted the teenage accused due to unsoundness of mind, the family remains determined to seek justice.

Their lawyers will file the civil suit, pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings, according to a press conference on September 25. The accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, was charged with murder in October 2022. The case underwent a psychiatric assessment, finding the teenager fit to stand trial, and the trial commenced on August 3.

On August 13, the High Court ordered the teenager to enter his defense after the prosecution established a prima facie case, while the defense closed its case on August 26 after presenting two witnesses. On September 14, Judge Adlin Abdul Majid acquitted and discharged the teenager, citing his unsound mind during the offense, ordering him to be placed in Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta.

The Attorney General's Chambers filed an appeal notice at the Court of Appeal on September 22, contesting the acquittal.