The story first came to light on Sunday when it was reported that Mohamad Thaqif Amin Mohd Gadaffi slipped into a coma after both his legs had to be amputated by doctors at Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) in Johor Bahru on Friday to prevent infection to tissues and blood cells.
The boy had been admitted to the hospital two days earlier after experiencing pain in his legs for two weeks following caning and beatings, allegedly by an assistant warden at a “tahfiz” school in Kampung Lukut in Kota Tinggi.
The boy wrote in his diary about how the beatings started last month, just two months after his mother enrolled him in the privately-run religious boarding school.
The daily quoted his aunt, Dzuraidah Ahmad, as saying that her nephew had previously complained to his mother about the beatings, and that the diary, which was found by the family, echoed the same claims.
“My nephew said that sometimes, he and his friends would even volunteer to get beaten first as they wanted to go to bed early since they had to wake up at 3am for prayers.
“He wrote about how he was punched for no reason and could no longer stand the abuse, and wanted to transfer to a different school,” Dzuraidah, 38, was quoted as saying at HSI yesterday.
One of the postings in the diary also alleged the assistant warden, who has since been arrested, had punched him in the buttocks.
“Dear Allah, please open my parents’ hearts to allow me to transfer to another school because I cannot stand it anymore. Please, Allah, make my wishes come true,” The Star quoted an entry by Thaqif in his diary, as related by his aunt.
After Thaqif fell into a coma on Friday, doctors said his arm had also turned necrotic. But the latest update on his condition, according to another aunt, was that blood clots had been found on his left shoulder.
“At first we thought his condition was improving, since his right arm was returning to its natural colour, but on Sunday, we were disheartened by the news of blood clots in his shoulder,” Nurul Nabila Ahmad, 30, was quoted as saying by The Star.
Doctors are giving every possible treatment to save the boy’s arm and to stop the blood clots on his shoulder from getting worse.
Thaqif, who is still in a coma, is also undergoing dialysis to treat his failing kidneys and remains in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the daily quoted Johor Islamic Religious Committee chairman Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim as saying that the private religious school was one of the state’s leading institutions.
Police revealed that the assistant warden who had allegedly abused Thaqif had a previous conviction for theft and served 30 months in jail.
He was said to have been employed at the school since 2016, and now remains under police remand until tomorrow, for investigation into the alleged abuse of Thaqif and other students at the school.
Child rights activist: Who is responsible for religious schools?