A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy at a tahfiz school in Kedah allegedly suffered bruising to his face and several parts of his body after being assaulted by a 15-year-old senior student.
The victim’s father, Shamsul Azrin Man, 45, said the incident became known after he collected his only son from the tahfiz school for a holiday on July 30.
He said his son, who had been staying at the hostel since early this year, initially claimed that the bruise on his face was caused by a fall.
“My wife and I noticed a bruise on the left side of his face. At first, he said he had fallen, but after being questioned several times, he admitted that he had been punched by a senior student the day before while wiping tables at the canteen,” he said when met in Alor Setar today.
Shamsul Azrin said his son also told him that he had been kicked in the back, leaving bruises.
“After learning about the incident, I immediately contacted an ustaz at the tahfiz school, but he said he was unaware of what had happened,” he said.
He said he and his wife subsequently lodged a police report before taking their son to hospital for an examination.
“The examination found that my son had bruising, but no serious injuries such as fractures. However, he is now traumatised and does not want to return to the school.
“I am saddened because my son was the one who wanted to study there because he wanted to become an ustaz. I never expected this to happen, and I am grateful that he remains determined to pursue his ambition of becoming an ustaz,” he said.
Shamsul Azrin said he planned to transfer his son to another religious school to prevent a similar incident from recurring.
He said he had previously noticed bruises on his son’s body and a lump on his head but had not suspected that they were linked to bullying.
“After being questioned, my son said he had previously been punched and kicked, and that his head had been pressed against the stairs by the student involved.
“He did not fight back because he was afraid. He also said a friend helped apply a cold compress to his swollen forehead,” he said.
Shamsul Azrin said he and his wife were also upset that their son was no longer attending school after the institution allegedly dismissed him following the incident, citing concerns that a similar incident could recur.
“We were informed that police are investigating the matter and that the alleged perpetrator has been called in for questioning.
“The school has also taken disciplinary action by suspending the student,” he said.
He hoped the incident would serve as a lesson to all parties and reinforce the need to prioritise the safety and welfare of students.
Meanwhile, Kota Setar district police chief Assistant Commissioner Syed Basri Syed Ali said the case was being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code.
“We have recorded the alleged perpetrator’s statement and are now awaiting the victim’s medical report from the doctor,” he said. - August 10, 2026
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