SHAH ALAM, Oct 11 — The High Court has ordered a former national schoolteacher in Selayang to pay RM85,000 in damages after she assaulted a former student with a broom, resulting in injuries that required five stitches to his head.
National news agency Bernama reported that Justice Commissioner Datuk Hazizah Kassim issued the ruling today, allowing an appeal from the now 13-year-old student, represented by his father, against the Selayang Sessions Court’s earlier decision to dismiss the lawsuit against the 60-year-old teacher.
However, the High Court upheld the Sessions Court’s ruling that dismissed the case against the school’s principal and the Malaysian government, who were named as the second and third defendants.
In her judgment, Hazizah emphasised that the teacher’s actions — using a broom to intimidate a student — are unacceptable in modern education.
“The education sector must advance in teaching students, and every educator should be aware of the legal protections for children under Malaysian law. This incident is regrettable and should not occur in our schools, which are places of learning for children. It should serve as a lesson to prevent future occurrences,” she was quoted as saying.
Hazizah noted clear errors in the previous court’s handling of the case, justifying the High Court’s intervention.
As a result, the court overturned the Sessions Court’s decision, ordering the first defendant to pay RM15,000 in general damages, along with RM70,000 in exemplary damages and RM5,000 for appeal costs. The court ruled that the second and third defendants were not liable for the actions of the first defendant.
The proceedings were attended by plaintiff’s lawyers Azmer Md Saad and Nur Zalikha Noor Kashfi, while the teacher was represented by lawyers Ruslan Hassan and Mohd Zali Shaari. Senior Federal Counsel Nur Aifaa Che Abdullah acted on behalf of the principal and the government.
On March 20, the Selayang Sessions Court had dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former Year Two student against three parties, including a former teacher, alleging that he was struck with a broom, causing significant injury.
In the lawsuit filed on October 17, 2022, the plaintiff, then eight years old, claimed that during a Malay language lesson on October 18, 2019, he and another student witnessed the teacher chasing a classmate while holding a broom.
The plaintiff alleged that as he returned to his seat, the teacher suddenly struck his head with the broom, leading to severe bleeding and injuries. An examination at a Gombak health clinic confirmed he had sustained injuries requiring five stitches.
Following the incident, the plaintiff’s father filed a police report at 6:45pm on the same day, seeking an explanation from the teacher, who stated that the student was struck for not being seated during class.
In his lawsuit, the plaintiff claimed that the defendants failed to ensure his safety and proper supervision during school hours, resulting in the injuries inflicted by the teacher.
