Education Ministry urges calm amid wrangle over leaked ‘hotspot list’

KUALA LUMPUR: The more than 10,000 school liaison officers nationwide have been told to be more attentive and proactive when dealing with serious misconduct in schools, especially those on the hotspot list.

Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department director Comm Datuk Tajudin Md Isa said the officers must work with disciplinary teachers in critical cases such as bullying and fighting.

“Whenever a problem occurs, the liaison officers will assess the situation to determine its seriousness.

“If there is physical violence, the school should get the liaison officers to assess its seriousness. If it is serious, the school should lodge a police report,” he told The Star yesterday.

“The liaison officer should find out whether it is an isolated incident or an emerging trend.

“We want the officers to work with schools to engage the students and provide advice as a deterrent.

“The main objective is to keep the problem from becoming serious.”

Initially, the department will focus on high-risk schools on the list.

“We plan to select a few schools in Kuala Lumpur deemed as highrisk. We also want the liaison officers to engage with the families of problematic students directly.

“However, both efforts are subject to approval by the Education Ministry,” he said.

Comm Tajudin also clarified that sometimes what was presumed to be gangsterism in schools was actually violent misconduct.

“We mainly face hooliganism. These are small cliques or groups in a school that cause problems.

“Gangsterism is when students are associated with the underworld.

“Although we do have such cases, maybe in one or two schools, it is not as widespread as presumed by the public,” he said.

Each school has one liaison officer of inspector rank at least.

“This system has been around since 1974,” he said.

On the leaked hotspot list, Comm Tajudin said the department had begun investigations.

“It is a serious breach, and we will conduct a domestic inquiry into it as well,” he said.

Joint effort: Liaison officers nationwide have been told to be more attentive when dealing with serious misconduct in schools, especially those on the hotspot list.