Ministry awaiting investigation report into beating of Orang Asli student

The Education Ministry is still awaiting the investigation report into the case of an Orang Asli student who was allegedly tied up and kicked by several teachers at a school in Kelantan after being suspected of stealing money from one of the teachers.

Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan said the ministry after receiving and reviewing reports from the police on investigation, would then recommend the the measures to be taken.

"We will allow the police carry out their duties, then we will look into what needs to be done," he told reporters after presenting prizes to the winners of the 2015 Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition here, today.

In June, several news portal reported the coordinator of an Orang Asli support group, Centre of Orang Asli Concerns (COAC), Dr Colin Nicholas as claiming that a Standard Four pupil from the Temiar tribe was allegedly tied up, kicked, and beaten up by some of his teachers, after he was accused of stealing money from one of them.

According to the reports, as a result of the incident, the student of SK Kuala Betis in Gua Musang, Kelantan, suffered bruises to his face and limbs.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Kamalanathan said the Sunway-Oxbrindge Essay Competition was a great example of efforts by higher education institutions to improve the quality of English in the country.

"As I understand, we have received close to 1,700 entries from all over Malaysia, this is a great indication that parents, teachers and students alike understand the importance of the English language in nation-building efforts," he said.

He said the ministry was working towards improving the quality and quantity of English teachers in the country.

"An example of this is our initiative last month, where we trained 22,500 new teachers to help check the deteriorating standard of English amongst students, whereby the teachers have to undergo the Cambridge Placement Test to ensure that they are qualified to guide our children in improving English proficiency, "he said.

At the event, Kamalanathan handed out RM28,000 in cash prizes, and RM190,000 worth of brusaries from Sunway to 26 winners.

For category A (forms Four and Five), Mandalyn Tan Ying Rui, 17, of Kolej Yayasan Saad, Melaka, won first place, while category B (forms One to Three), was won by Celine Chua Hui, 14, from SMK St. Teresa Kuching.

The first place winner of each category received a cash prize of RM5,000, and RM20,000 in bursary, a trophy, and certificate, while the second place winner received a cash prize of RM3,000, and RM15,000 in bursary, a trophy and certificate. The third place winner received RM1,000 in cash, RM10,000 in bursary, a trophy and certificate.

SMK (P) Sultan Ibrahim of Johor Bahru was crowned as the 'school with most number of participants' with a total of 132 entries, for the second year running.

The 2015 Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition was co-organised by the Sunway Group, The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia, and Sunway University, for the purpose of strengthening and improving the English proficiency among secondary school students.

In the competition, students were required to write an essay about the adverse effects of gambling, and why gamblers should stop doing it.