BATU PAHAT: The Johor government will review school safety procedures and consider stronger security measures, including closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, following the death of student Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal in Yong Peng here.
Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the Education Ministry needed to look more closely at school security after he was informed that the school did not have CCTV cameras.
"As I said, the state government will, insyaAllah, assist with basic requirements. But we do not want this to happen again anywhere in the country or in Johor," he said after visiting the victim’s family at their home at Kampung Parit Selamat in Yong Peng here on Monday (Oct 5).
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"That is why I feel this matter needs to be looked at more closely by the ministry. I will get in touch with the ministry."
He added that the state government would provide whatever support and assistance it could to Irene Sofiya’s family.
Onn Hafiz also said he had been informed that police had arrested a suspect and were investigating.
"I urge the public to give space to the authorities to carry out their duties. InsyaAllah, we will ensure that whoever is found guilty will face punishment commensurate with the offence," he said.
Meanwhile, state education and information committee chairman Dr Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali said the government would convene a special meeting with the state Education Department and district education offices to review existing school safety standard operating procedures (SOPs).
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"We will look at the SOPs again and identify weaknesses and shortcomings," he said.
Dr Naqib said the meeting would look at school security from a holistic and comprehensive perspective, including whether a more aggressive approach was needed to prevent similar incidents.
"We cannot take this matter lightly because it involves the loss of a life. At the state level, we will continue working with the Education Department, education offices and the Education Ministry to find solutions to address this matter and prevent what happened from recurring," he added.
He said CCTV was among the measures that needed consideration, noting that it could also help authorities in their investigations and act as a deterrent against violence in schools.
Dr Naqib said a school safety task force was established about a year ago, and the state would use its upcoming meeting to examine the issue in greater detail.
He said the school was operating as usual, while counselling support was being given to students affected by the incident.
Dr Naqib said some students, particularly the close friends or classmates of the victim and the other student involved, were shocked by the incident.
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"The counsellors at the school have been providing initial support. We also understand that early screening has begun, with the Social Welfare Department also visiting the families," he said.
Dr Naqib said he had asked for a progress report on the affected students to be provided by the seventh day following the incident, particularly those close to the victim.
He urged the public to refrain from making negative comments while the authorities investigate and the state government works with the relevant agencies.
"Please have faith in the authorities carrying out their duties. The state government will cooperate with the relevant bodies to determine the best measures.
"We need to stop this from happening again. We all have children, and we can imagine how we would feel if something like this happened to them," he said.
Irene Sofiya, 16, was found with multiple injuries in the school hall after extra classes on Saturday (Oct 3).
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Comm Datuk M. Kumar said a post-mortem concluded that she died from blunt force trauma to the head.
He also said that a male teenager has been remanded to facilitate a murder investigation.
