Perak Science, Environment and Green Technology Education Committee Chairman Muhammad Amin Zakaria told Bernama that using snakes in the training module was extreme and could possibly endanger the lives of the participants.
He was referring to a video recording that went viral yesterday of a group of frightened and screaming students who were made to cross a muddy pool while snakes were being thrown into the water.
The clip also showed water being sprayed on the participants as they scrambled out of the slippery pool.
“Such incidents will only cause stress, anxiety and fear in the participants to an extent that the process of instilling knowledge will not have been optimally achieved.
“I’m sure parents would not ever give permission for their children to participate in such leadership training in the future,” he told Bernama when contacted here today.
The two-minute video, which was widely circulated in social media, received harsh criticism from netizens.
Muhammad Amin said although the training was aimed at testing the courage of the participants, the use of animals, or in this case, snakes, was totally inappropriate.
“It is more of bullying the students mentally and physically.
“The incident should not have happened and the parties or organisers involved should be more (careful) in their approach as the participants were merely students.”
He said the committee would request for an official report from the Kuala Kangsar District Education Office and Civil Defence Force, and urged the relevant parties to act against the organisers and trainers involved.
He told the news agency that the committee also planned to meet with parents of the affected students to make sure they were all right.
Muhammad Amin acknowledged that leadership training was important for every student to value-add to their competence.
“Any training is meant to educate, provide new experiences and skills that can motivate the students to change their attitude for the better.”
However, he said, it was imperative for the school to be mindful of the training module that their students were subjected to in any leadership programme.
Bernama also reported that Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan said this incident should not have happened as the pupils’ teachers had told the trainers not to throw the snakes in.
“Even though the trainers had said the snakes were not poisonous, that is not the issue because their actions caused trauma to the students.”
Kamalanathan said the school involved had also been asked to contact the students’ parents to explain the issue.
He added that the school’s counsellor had also been directed to hold counselling sessions for the students to avoid prolonged trauma.
Meanwhile, New Straits Times Online reported that the Civil Defence Force (APM) suspended with immediate effect its student team-building module following the incident at the Kuala Kangsar APM office. A total of 45 students of Sekolah Kebangsaan Beluru in Kuala Kangsar were involved.
A Perak APM officer was quoted by Harian Metro as saying his staff were investigating the case.
He said the aim of the programme was to measure a participant’s team spirit, discipline and work level among others.
He said the force had been conducting team-building modules for the last three years.
“We are baffled as to why this approach was used. We forbid our staff from using snakes or even conduct any demonstration involving snakes.
“We place great emphasis on personal safety and are disappointed this has happened.”