Malaysian police questioning teacher over student's death

Apr 4, 2011, 7:25 GMT

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian police said Monday they were questioning an Islamic school teacher who has been placed on remand for allegedly beating a 7-year-old student to death.

Saiful Syazani Saiful Sopfidee was taken to local hospital in the southern state of Perlis on Saturday where he slipped into a coma and died the next day.

The cause of death was internal bleeding in the head and heart complications, the New Straits Times newspaper said.

Saiful, a student at a privately run Islamic school, was reportedly tied up and beaten for two hours after a teacher accused him of stealing 7 ringgit (2.28 dollars) from another student.

The boy, described as happy and obedient, did not have prior problems in school, his adopted mother told the Star newspaper.

Perlis police said the 26-year-old suspect, who was also the school warden, has been on remand since Saturday. He is being investigated for murder.

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