The parents of a 17-year-old student who died after allegedly consuming poison at a school in Klang are demanding accountability, claiming the school’s failure to provide immediate medical care cost their daughter her life.
M Gopalan, 47, and P Magaswari, 45, allege that the school’s staff did not act swiftly during the May 27 incident, choosing to wait for an ambulance instead of transporting their daughter to the nearest clinic or hospital.
At a press conference, Gopalan said the closest clinic was only a two-minute drive from the school, while Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital was about 15 minutes away.
According to him, the school’s staff claimed they could not transport his daughter as standard operating procedures (SOPs) required a parent to be present.
He further alleged that the school did not administer any first aid while waiting for the ambulance and was uncooperative when questioned about the SOPs.
“My child is gone now. If she had died from a heart attack, I could have accepted it.
“If the principal or class teacher had simply asked for my permission to take her to the hospital, I would have agreed without hesitation,” he said.
The incident reportedly happened when the teen was in a classroom with three other students during recess. One of them later informed teachers that the teen had collapsed and was foaming at the mouth after allegedly consuming poison.
Magaswari said she was initially told by a student that her daughter was suffering from a stomach ache, only to discover the truth upon arriving at the school.
“The student who called me said my child had a terrible stomach ache and kept asking for me. I rushed over thinking she had gastric pain,” she recalled.
The parents were en route to Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital when an ambulance which had been called by the school intercepted them and transported the girl. However, she died before reaching the hospital.
Gopalan has since lodged two police reports — one against six school staff members for gross negligence and alleged evidence tampering, and another against three students for allegedly pressuring his daughter to consume the poison.
He also claimed that school officials had attempted to silence witnesses and prevent students from speaking about what occurred.
Gopalan has called for an investigation under the Child Act 2001 and relevant sections of the Penal Code, including abetment of suicide, causing death by negligence, and tampering with evidence.
He urged the police to thoroughly investigate the source of the poison, the motive behind the incident, and the role each student might have played.
The family is also calling for an inquest to legally determine the cause of death and whether the school failed in its duty of care.
Activist Arun Dorasamy, who is assisting the family, said the school must acknowledge the role its delayed response played in the tragedy.
FMT has reached out to the education ministry and Klang Utara police for comment.
