Family sues govt agencies, parents over Bandar Utama school stabbing

The family of 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen, who was fatally stabbed by a male schoolmate at a Bandar Utama school last year, has filed a civil suit against several government agencies and the boy’s parents.

The family said the civil suit was filed through their lawyers, Surendra Ananth Advocates & Solicitors, at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Oct 1.

They said the legal action is “not about vengeance”, but ensuring that the relevant parties are held accountable, and so that no other child would have to go through the same.

“Considering all the facts that have emerged since her death, particularly from the criminal trial, we strongly believe that her killing could have been prevented had the relevant parties taken the appropriate steps,” they said in a statement.

The family named several government agencies as defendants, arguing that they were legally required to take adequate steps to address mental health issues in schools.

“This includes taking preventive measures before matters escalate. We strongly believe that they have failed to do so,” the statement said.

They also named the parents of the boy as defendants, saying “the warning signs were clearly there”, and that parents had a responsibility to take due care to ensure that their children did not harm others.

“We have also named the boy himself as a defendant,” they said.

They said lawyers Malik Imtiaz and A Surendra Ananth would represent them in the civil suit.

On Sept 14, the Shah Alam High Court acquitted the 15-year-old boy of the girl’s murder after ruling that he was of unsound mind when the offence was committed.

Justice Adlin Abdul Majid nonetheless ordered him to be detained at the pleasure of the sultan of Selangor at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak, where he would undergo treatment.

On Sept 24, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said it had filed a notice of appeal against the High Court decision.

The boy was accused of fatally stabbing the Form 4 student in the girls’ toilet of their school between 9.20am and 9.35am on Oct 14 last year.

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