Malaysia may deploy police officers in schools to curb student violence

Two cases of gang rape and a murder in three schools in the past fortnight have fuelled parents’ fears for their children’s safety and raised public concerns over a lack of official oversight and impunity in educational institutions.

The government felt that the “omnipresence” of police in schools would help restore confidence in the safety of students in the country, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.

“The presence of police will give a signal that our schools are safe places,” Fahmi said at his weekly news conference, adding that further details would be shared by the Interior Ministry.

Eight teenage boys were arrested last week in Melaka and Kedah states for two separate alleged gang rapes in schools. They were caught after phone camera footage of the acts was discovered by school authorities.

One of the suspects in the Melaka case has already confessed to the crime, according to a report by the Bernama news agency.