Kuching axe attack: Do not share video of student injuring teacher

KUCHING: Authorities have called on the public to stop circulating video footage of a student injuring a teacher at a private school here.

Sarawak Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the appeal was aimed at protecting the privacy and dignity of those involved.

She said circulating the footage on social media could cause further distress, expose those involved to online harassment and undermine their privacy and dignity.

"Do not turn social media into a platform for passing judgement, shaming or conducting a 'public trial' of the teenager involved in the violent incident at a school in Kuching.

"Instead, the public should act responsibly by refraining from sharing footage of the incident, making speculations or circulating unverified information, as this could affect the privacy and dignity of those involved, particularly children," she said in a statement today.

Earlier, it was reported that a 16-year-old boy had livestreamed the incident on an online community platform before the video was deleted.

The incident, which occurred at about 8.03am, involved a teacher attempting to seize a sharp object from the student.

Preliminary information indicated that the student had brought firecrackers to school before allegedly injuring the teacher with an axe.

The teacher reportedly suffered injuries to the hand.

The case is being investigated under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt using a weapon or dangerous object, and Section 6(1) of the Explosives Act 1957 in connection with the possession of explosives.

The student was detained shortly after the incident and subsequently referred to the psychiatric ward at Sarawak General Hospital.

Fatimah stressed that the safety and wellbeing of the school community must remain a priority to ensure teachers could carry out their duties in a safe environment and students could learn without fear of violence or danger.

"Any incident involving violence or the use of weapons must be taken seriously and addressed appropriately to protect the entire school community.

"At the same time, the matter must be handled with great care and compassion because the teenager is still growing and developing," she said.

Fatimah said the public should not rush to judge, label or shame the teenager without understanding the circumstances that might have contributed to the incident.

She said accountability and compassion were not mutually exclusive, as the safety of teachers and students could be protected while ensuring the teenager was treated with dignity and given appropriate guidance and support.

She also expressed concern over statements allegedly shared by the teenager on Facebook, including remarks about feeling lonely and having no one to turn to.

"We should not make assumptions about what this young person may be going through, but expressions of loneliness and isolation must not be taken lightly.

"Every child deserves to feel valued, heard and supported," she said.