A FAMILY from Temerloh, Pahang has filed a suit against a public school there over alleged bullying suffered by their daughter, The Star reported today.

The student’s mother, Zaiton Yusoff, said the bullying happened last year has caused her daughter, the youngest of four children, to suffer from depression and trauma.

The family is demanding more than RM2 million in compensation to emphasise the severity of the case.

On June 25, Zaiton filed the case on behalf of her daughter against the alleged perpetrator who was represented by his father, and other parties – the principal of SMK Seberang Temerloh, education director-general and the Malaysian government at the Temerloh High Court.

According to the facts of the case, the first defendant had bullied Zaiton’s daughter on school premises on July 11, 2019, by teasing and harassing her, including throwing a ball of paper and a pen at her during class.

He later allegedly slapped her, squeezed her face, squeezed her breasts and smacked her chest, stomach and legs.

“She has to see a psychiatrist and psychologist at a government hospital every month and has been prescribed medications to help counter her emotional issues,’’ Zaiton, 52, was quoted as saying at a press conference in Shah Alam yesterday.

Zaiton was accompanied by her daughter’s legal counsel Wan Azliana Wan Adnan.

The family relocated to Selangor after the bullying incident to “try to leave bad and unhappy memories behind”.

Zaiton, in her statement of claim, accuses the school principal and education director-general of failing to fulfil their obligation to care for her safety while on school premises.

The claim also said the second and third defendants had failed to notify the girl’s parents of the incident as soon as it happened, and failing to take the necessary action against the alleged perpetrator.

The compensation demanded is RM1.5 million in general damages, RM300,000 in exemplary damages, RM300,000 in aggravated damages, legal costs, and other costs that the court considers fit and rightful. – June 27, 2020.