SPM decision is 'humanitarian betrayal': Scholar slams MOE for normalising gang rape suspects' rights

SHAH ALAM – The Education Ministry's (MOE) decision to allow four students charged with gang rape to sit for their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations has been slammed by independent scholar Sharifah Munirah Alatas, who described the move as a "humanitarian betrayal" of the victim and a normalisation of serious crime.

According to Munirah, the context of a violent crime nullifies any debate about balancing rights.

“The Minister’s justification that these boys should be permitted to sit for the SPM exams in the spirit of ‘education for all’ is completely wrong.

"It is a totally misguided interpretation of the ‘education for all’ policy, embodied in our education blueprint, as well as Goal 4 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals,” she said when contacted recently.

Munirah argued that the accused must face the immediate consequences of their actions, which have temporarily forfeited their right to a normal academic life; a right they violently stripped from their victim.

She insisted that the SPM exams should only be considered after the legal process is complete and the boys are kept away from other students.

“Let them face the law and let their case be settled first before we can consider their exams or their future. There is no hurry. It is imperative to prioritise the legal process first,” she added, stressing that being charged under Section 375B of the Penal Code for gang rape means they should be treated as alleged criminals, not students involved in mere "misconduct."

She called for a revisit of the Education Development Plan 2026-2036, which emphasises character building and human values.

“The perpetrators must learn that gang rape is a very serious crime, which cannot be treated lightly. Our education ethos demands that we ‘build character’ and uphold human values. This means legal action must be taken immediately and before normalising other aspects of their lives,” she said.

Munirah accused the Ministry of ‘glossing over’ the crime's gravity through bureaucratic sloganeering, exposing a detachment from the moral and social context of violence in schools.

“It is also a clear humanitarian betrayal of the victim and her parents,” she added.

She further criticised the ministry's language, stating that referring to gang rape as "sexual misconduct" suggests either a complete ignorance of its inhumanity or a deliberate indifference to its devastating long-term impact on victims.

In this case, she emphasised, she has exposed a "fundamental rot" in the system and highlighted the need for a complete overhaul, including a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI).

“The Minister’s careless remarks expose poor attitudes and blatant incompetencies. This kind of neglect has the potential to seriously impede good governance and the overall progress of the nation for decades to come,” she said.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek

She also highlighted the underlying patriarchy, saying it was telling that public discussions were centred on exam rights rather than the physical and psychological trauma endured by the victim.

Earlier, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek confirmed that four Form Five students, currently remanded over the alleged gang rape of a 15-year-old in Alor Gajah, Melaka, will be permitted to sit for their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations beginning Nov 3.

Fadhlina stated that the ministry would ensure the accused students are not left behind academically, while disciplinary matters, the school environment and emotional support for other students would be managed separately.

The case, which has sparked national outrage, involves four 17-year-old male students who allegedly assaulted a junior female student in a classroom on Oct 2.

Two of the suspects reportedly recorded the incident on a mobile phone, and the footage was later circulated online.

Fadhlina emphasised that the ministry does not compromise on sexual misconduct cases.

The victim continues to receive medical care and psychosocial support at Hospital Melaka.

All four suspects have been arrested and remanded, with the case being investigated as gang rape under Section 375B of the Penal Code.