Malaysian Boy Whipped in Islamic School Dies
A Malaysian boy, aged 11, who suffered abuse at a private religious school — so bad that his legs had to be amputated — has died. The case sparked public outrage in the Muslim-majority country and prompted calls for closer scrutiny of "tahfiz" schools where students learn to memorize the Koran.
Mohamad Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi was one of 15 students whipped with a garden hose for making noise in the school's mosque in Kota Tinggi, Johor state three weeks ago. The flogging was committed by the assistant warden, a 29-year-old ex-convict who was arrested last Saturday.
Thaqif was taken to Hospital Sultan Ismail on April 19, when his legs became blackened and swollen due to damaged blood cells and tissue. The condition was so bad that both legs had to be amputated. The boy slipped into a coma after the surgery and had to undergo dialysis due to kidney failure.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Worse, the bacterial infection had spread to his arm that it had to be cut off as well.
"We want to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of his body and causing more problems," said the boy's aunt, Dzuraidah Ahmad, 38, in explaining the need for the procedure.
Thaqif went back to the operating room on Wednesday but the surgery had to be canceled as his heart rate wasn't stable. He died afterward.
State Islamic Religious Committee chairman Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim said they would investigate the school.
"Hitting students even with a 'rotan' is forbidden. Hence, using a water hose is even worse," he added.
Tahfiz or Islamic boarding schools are known for their strict guidelines on corporal punishments for students. A proposed bill was introduced in parliament calling for stricter forms of the Islamic penal code including punishments such as whipping, but the ruling coalition decided not to table it after the children's whipping incident was publicized.
