TEEN ‘FORCED TO DO EXERCISE’
Teacher allegedly ordered religious student to do 400 squats, 200 push-ups and 300 sit-ups for not submitting project on time
TWO hundred ear-squats, 200 squats, 200 push-ups and 300 sit-ups in an hour — those were the series of punishments allegedly handed down to a religious school student by his teacher last Tuesday.
After he completed the exercise, the teacher then told him to pick one of the exercises and do it for another 50 times.
Now, the 16-year-old could only gaze emptily at his ambition to be a policeman after a doctor discovered that the muscles in his legs were severely torn.
He was also at risk of developing kidney failure.
Samsudin Seri, 42, from Kampung Bintawa Ulu, said his heart broke whenever he looked at his son’s condition.
“He can’t walk. We are worried about his future. He had always wanted to be a policeman,” Samsudin said at Sarawak General Hospital here yesterday.
The Civics and Citizenship subject teacher had allegedly punished the student for failing to submit a school project on time.
The punishment had led to extreme muscle pain, especially in his legs.
Samsudin said his son did not tell him what he had endured that day.
“We asked him repeatedly because he appeared weak, but he did not tell us anything. On Thursday, he couldn’t walk. It was only then that my son told me about the incident.”
Samsudin said he lodged a report last Friday.
“The doctor told us that his leg muscles are torn. He is being monitored for possible kidney damage. He is bedridden.”
He said his son had completed the project and had kept it in a USB flash drive.
“But, the teacher had insisted on a hardcopy. We are leaving it to the police and the Education Department to investigate.”
State Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Dev Kumar confirmed that the case was being investigated.
“We have not classified it as an abuse case as we are carrying out our investigation.”
State Education Department director Rakayah Madon said the teacher was on duty pending investigations.
“We will take action once investigations are completed.”