JB boy, 5, dies in school van, parents reject school’s RM100,000 settlement offer, suing for RM2 million

The grieving parents of a five-year-old boy in Johor Bahru who died after allegedly being locked in a school van for several hours, have rejected a RM100,000 (S$30,407) settlement offered by his kindergarten.

"Can RM100,000 give me back my child's life? Even if you gave me RM1 million, I would rather have my child alive. I don't want the money," the boy's mother, surnamed Yu, told Malaysian media on Jul. 30.

The 54-year-old van driver was arrested by police following the boy's death on Apr. 30.

The couple has called for the kindergarten in Taman Bukit Indah to bear responsibility for the incident and issue a formal apology, given that the van driver was hired by the school.

Rejected settlement offer

Yu and her husband, Teo Jie, broke down at the press conference on Jul. 30 as they recounted their son's death.

The boy's parents, represented by a pro bono legal team, have filed for a compensation claim against four parties, totalling RM2.059 million (S$626,189), New Straits Times reported.

The parties are the kindergarten, the kindergarten operator, the transport company and the van driver.

The kindergarten operator proposed a settlement of RM100,000, but this was rejected by the boy's parents on Jul. 30.

Their lawyers are expect to file a lawsuit at the Johor Bahru High Court in August.

School signed son in although he was absent: Mother

Yu said that on Apr. 30, she had rushed back to JB from Singapore after being notified of her son's death, according to a clip published by China Press.

When she reached the school, the principal hugged her, cried and apologised over the matter, Yu said.

She questioned why the school is now denying liability and any negligence in her son's death, but offering a "sympathy payment" instead.

Yu also said she felt the tragedy could have prevented if proper roll-call procedures had been followed.

Noting that her child never made it into class that day, Yu claimed that when she asked the school who signed him in, she did not get an answer.

The van driver was charged in May with child neglect.

Teo has since appealed to the Attorney-General's Chambers to review the case and bring charges against the other parties involved.

Teo also told China Press that he hopes measures will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.

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Top image from Sin Chew Daily/China Press