IPOH - A school principal in Bagan Datuk, who came under scrutiny on social media following allegations of sexual harassment against a Form Three student, lodged a police report on Sunday.
Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the man, 56, filed a police report over a viral video depicting him being attacked by the student's family.
He said police were investigating the case under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for the improper use of network facilities and services.
"Our findings indicate that the student’s family attacked the principal after he was accused of calling the student to express his romantic feelings for her,” he said at a press conference at the Perak police headquarters here today.
Mohd Alwi said police had recorded statements from nine people so far, including the principal.
Meanwhile, Mohd Alwi said an investigation had been launched under Section 15(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 following a report lodged by the student's mother.
The allegations first gained attention on social media through a post on Threads, which claimed that the principal had sent inappropriate messages to a female student, including one saying "I love you”.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek directed the Perak State Education Department to investigate the allegations, and the principal has been temporarily transferred to the Bagan Datuk District Education Office pending the outcome. - BERNAMA