Johor govt orders full cooperation with police probe after 16-year-old girl found dead in school

BATU PAHAT – The Johor state government has directed the state Education Department and Batu Pahat District Education Office to extend full cooperation to police investigating the death of a 16-year-old student at a secondary school in Yong Peng.State Education and Information Committee Chairman Dr Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali stated that the administration views the case seriously, emphasising that student safety remains a top priority.“I have been informed of the incident involving the death of a 16-year-old Form Four student at a secondary school here on Saturday afternoon,” he said in a statement on Oct 4.Expressing his condolences to the victim’s family, he added that the state government is leaving the matter entirely to authorities to establish the facts surrounding the incident.Dr Muhammad Naqib instructed educational authorities to provide necessary support to the victim’s family and the affected school community. He also issued a firm warning against institutional violence.“There will be no compromise on any form of bullying, violence, or criminal acts that threaten the safety of the school community,” he said. “However, whether this incident involves such elements must be determined through official investigations rather than speculation.”He urged the public and social media users to refrain from spreading unverified information or drawing premature conclusions that could disrupt ongoing police work or cause further distress to the family.The victim was found unconscious in the school hall on the afternoon of Oct 3 and was subsequently pronounced dead. Police have confirmed an investigation is under way.According to a source, the victim, who was believed to be living with her grandmother, had gone to the school to attend tuition classes.It is learnt that the grandmother realised the victim was missing after one of her friends contacted her around noon to ask whether she was at home.After learning that she was not at home, the grandmother rushed to the school and found the girl lying weakly in the hall.The girl was found with dried blood on her body and bruising believed to be consistent with being assaulted.The victim was believed to have been living with her grandmother following the death of her mother, while her father works in Kuala Lumpur. THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK