JAKARTA: The Central Java administration is stepping up efforts to prevent bullying following the death of a seven-year-old elementary school pupil who was assaulted by three older schoolmates in Pemalang regency.
Governor Ahmad Luthfi has instructed all schools in his territory to increase monitoring of students to prevent bullying cases in the future.
“I don’t want what happened to an elementary pupil in Pemalang regency to happen again in another place,” he said in Semarang on Wednesday (Oct 7).
“I have instructed the Education Agency to achieve zero bullying by prioritising education.”
Meanwhile, Central Java Women Empowerment, Children Protection, Population Control and Family Planning Agency head Uswatun Hasanah acted swiftly to handle the bullying case in Pemalang.
“The provincial administration pushes for stronger bullying prevention in schools. We will create a safe and comfortable school for children,” she said.
“We will also install monitoring cameras or CCTVs in places of concern. A special team will monitor these cameras so they will not only be recordings after an incident.”
Uswatun said her agency had coordinated with the Pemalang regency administration after the case occurred on Sept 30.
Coordination with Pemalang Social Welfare, Population Control, Family Planning, Women Empowerment and Children Protection Agency was undertaken as the death took place within Pemalang regency administration’s jurisdiction, with support from the provincial administration.
“Pemalang Police have questioned witnesses and related parties, investigated the crime scene, secured evidence and traced information on social media,” Uswatun said.
“Forensic examination of the victim is still underway so we cannot convey the conclusion openly yet.”
Two social workers from the Pemalang regency administration were on the scene during the police questioning of two suspects. The Central Java administration also provided assistance for family members, witnesses and other parties requiring psychological support.
Muhammad Hasbi Al Aqib, 7, a second-grade student of SDN 1 Kebondalem state elementary school was attacked by two older schoolmates during recess on Sept 12 at about 9am. He complained of pain in the following days.
On Sept. 17, his health deteriorated and he could not walk, and his parents brought him to Dr. M. Ashari General Hospital where he was treated for nine days. Hasbi was then declared healthy. He was discharged, whereupon he told his parents about the beating two weeks prior.
On Sept 30, Hasbi’s condition deteriorated again. His parents brought him to the hospital once more, where he passed away.
Hasbi’s mother Diah Indiryanti told reporters that she demanded an explanation for the bullying from the school but it seemed as though the school was trying to cover up the case.
The perpetrators are believed to be two grade-five students and a grade-six student.
Dozens of parents and the public stormed the school in search of answers. The Pemalang Education Agency removed SDN 1 Kebondalem’s principal from her position on Tuesday.
Pemalang Police are also investigating the case and have questioned people close to Hasbi, witnesses and officials from Pemalang Education Agency, performing an autopsy on Oct 1 to ascertain the cause of death.
Pemalang Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Faizan Wildan Umar Rela said that the autopsy was performed after receiving consent from the family.
Elsewhere in the province, WAP, 14, student at SMPN 2 Sumberlawang state junior high school in Sragen regency died after a fight with his schoolmate, DTP, during school at about 11am.
WAP and DTP should have been in their respective classes but managed to sneak out. On Oct. 14, 2025, a fight during school time also killed a student, identified as 12-year-old ABP at SMPN 1 Geyer in Grobogan regency. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
