Student Deaths Leave Petaling Jaya Parents and Pupils on Edge

Parents, students and school staff in Petaling Jaya say a string of student deaths has left them anxious about school safety, Malaysiakini reports.

The latest case involved Form Four student Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal, found unconscious and bloodied at a school in Yong Peng, Johor, on October 3 and pronounced dead at the scene. 

Three Deaths, One Question: What Will It Take to Keep Students Safe?

Police are investigating under Section 302 of the Penal Code, and a 16-year-old boy has been remanded to assist. Her death recalls the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen in a Bandar Utama school toilet last October, and the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir in Sabah in July last year.

A Form Three student now moves only with older people or friends, though school CCTV offers some reassurance. 

A Form Four student said their school has an anonymous complaint box.

Parents called for open communication at home, swift action on complaints and stronger discipline, including a bigger role for disciplinary teachers and prefects. 

Others stressed that parents bear the main responsibility, especially outside school hours, while a former school assistant urged tighter monitoring of campus visitors.

One school’s security guard said patrols run every two hours, with scanners used to detect sharp objects.