KUALA LUMPUR: After being hit by a decorative bicycle rim hanging from the ceiling in class and suffering a head injury as a result, the parents of a 4-year-old child- identified only as 'Z'- have filed a lawsuit against their child's school for negligence.
Their lawsuit also follows the school's decision to expel Z after the incident.
Upset with the situation, the child's parents have filed a lawsuit demanding an apology and RM100,000 in compensation from an international school in Taman Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
The lawyers representing Z's parents, Muhammad Hariz Md Yusoff, Nur Fatin Syakinah Kamarudin, and Nurul Tasnim Abd Rahman from Hariz Syakinah & Co., stated that they are demanding an apology from the school for the child.
"So far, there has been an apology, but it was directed only to the victim's mother when it should have been addressed to Z.
"The aspect of safety needs to be emphasised, and that is why the child's guardians instructed us to pursue legal action in court," he said.
Muhammad Hariz stated that the unfortunate incident is believed to have occurred on Aug 2, and the victim's parents filed reports on Sept 11 and 12.
According to him, his client has seen closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and claims that the incident happened due to the school's negligence in hanging the bicycle rim as a decorative piece on the classroom ceiling.
"The school claimed that no child was injured, but what happened to Z is quite the opposite.
"The school has made various inaccurate allegations against our client by stating that Z pushed other children against the school's glass door.
"As a result of a previous meeting with the school, our client was informed that hanging bicycle rims as decorations was a culture, norm and practice at the school.
"What concerns the victim's parents is their child's safety at school, but the response provided was very disappointing for our client.
"This is what prompted the victim's parents to file a report because there was misrepresentation, and a Letter of Demand (LOD) has been sent to the school, but no response has been given, except for denial and a request for us to deal with the school's lawyers.
"Instead, Z's schooling was terminated on Aug 26 without a strong justification in the termination letter, and it has had a profound impact on the child until today," he said at a press conference outside the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters today.
Muhammad Hariz stated that Z is still receiving medical treatment in hospital, and his team has obtained medical reports.
He added that the child's 34-year-old father, an entrepreneur, hopes the police will conduct an investigation so that legal action can be taken against the school for negligence.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid, when contacted, confirmed receiving the report.
"An investigation paper has also been opened under the Child Act," he said.
