IPOH, Oct 27 — Police are investigating alleged sexual harassment involving a school principal and a Form Three student in Hutan Melintang, Perak, following a report by the student’s mother.
Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the report was lodged on October 24, with the case being investigated under Section 15(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
“Following the report lodged by the victim’s mother, the case is being investigated under Section 15(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017,” he told a press conference at the Perak Police Headquarters today.
Mohd Alwi said the 56-year-old principal lodged a separate report the next day, alleging that he had been assaulted by members of the student’s family after a video of their confrontation went viral.
Police are investigating the alleged assault under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which covers voluntarily causing hurt, and alleged misuse of network facilities under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“Our investigation found that the victim’s family confronted the principal following allegations that he had contacted the student and expressed his love and affection for her, as reported previously,” Mohd Alwi said.
He said police had recorded statements from nine people, including the principal, and would investigate the matter thoroughly as it involved a civil servant.
On October 25, Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said she had directed the Perak Education Department to investigate the allegations and that the principal had been temporarily transferred to the Bagan Datuk District Education Office pending the probe.
Hutan Melintang is a district under Bagan Datuk.
The case came to public attention after a social media post warned parents and residents about allegations that a principal at a government secondary school had sent romantic messages to a Form Three student.
A video circulated alongside the claims showed a man believed to be the principal being confronted by several women.