While she praised the decision to expel the four students in question, she said they could sit for the exam once their trial ends, or from jail if they are found guilty.
Maria, who is with a community NGO called Martabat PJ, said talk about the suspects sitting for their exams had shifted the public debate and awareness away “from a very horrible act of violence”.
“Placing greater emphasis on the boys’ welfare sends the wrong message: that perpetrators of sexual violence can still look forward to their welfare being protected by the government and that acts of violence doesn’t matter,” she told FMT.
She said that in such cases, the focus should be on the survivor and on changing mindsets to end gender-based violence.
Maria, who flayed the education ministry two days ago for labelling the gang rape as an act of sexual misconduct, calling it a “miscarriage of justice”, said society should also commit to ensuring that children grow up able to share the values of respect and dignity with one another.
She said society often “failed survivors” due to a lack of understanding of the psychological, physical and emotional trauma that accompanies violence.
“One can never fully imagine what a survivor has to go through, and yet we only recommend counselling as though it is an end-all solution,” she added.
She urged schools, the education ministry, parents, and others to come together to provide a safe school environment, including through physical and emotional support.
Yesterday, education director-general Azam Ahmad said the four Form 5 students allegedly involved in the gang rape of a Form 3 girl at a school in Melaka had been expelled.
He said the decision was made by the school’s disciplinary board.
The education ministry earlier came under fire after announcing that the four boys would be allowed to sit for their SPM examination, although Azam stressed that granting the suspects permission to sit for the exam did not mean they would escape punishment for their alleged actions.
The four reportedly committed the offence at about 2.50pm on Oct 2, while the girl was going to collect something from her classroom. Two of the boys reportedly watched and recorded the incident with their phones.
Separately, Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid said allowing the four suspects to sit for SPM was an affront to justice, and urged the education ministry to reverse its decision.
“As a woman and an MP, I am outraged by the decision. This is not rehabilitation; it rewards impunity,” she said in a Facebook video.
The DAP MP said the boys should face the full weight of the law, adding that allowing them to sit for SPM was akin to giving them “special treatment”.
“Every time we excuse such cruelty, we betray every girl in this country. Justice must not bend to protect rapists,” Syerleena said.