GEORGE TOWN: A senior criminologist has urged the public to avoid speculation over the Banting school stabbing, saying investigations must be guided by evidence rather than emotion.

Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy said the incident involving two Form Three students had understandably shocked the nation, but cautioned against assigning blame before investigations are completed.

He said that, as both the victim and the alleged offender are minors, their welfare, privacy and long-term futures must be protected while the legal process takes its course.

“From a criminological perspective, serious acts of violence involving adolescents rarely arise from a single cause. Instead, they often reflect the interaction of multiple factors, including psychological vulnerabilities, social relationships, family dynamics, school experiences, exposure to stress and an individual’s ability to regulate emotions.

“It would therefore be premature and irresponsible to attribute the incident solely to any one factor before investigations are completed,” he told the New Straits Times today.

Police have classified the stabbing of a female student by another female student at a school in Banting on Monday as attempted murder.

Commenting on reports that the alleged offender is autistic, Sundramoorthy said such claims should be treated with caution.

He said Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition and not a predictor of violent behaviour.

“The overwhelming majority of autistic people are law-abiding and are, in fact, more likely to become victims of bullying, exploitation or abuse than perpetrators of violence.

“Any attempt to stigmatise the broader autistic community based on one isolated case would be both scientifically inaccurate and socially harmful,” he said.

Sundramoorthy said the criminal justice system must distinguish between the existence of a medical or developmental condition and individual criminal responsibility.

He said comprehensive psychiatric and psychological assessments, where necessary, should assist the courts in understanding the adolescent’s mental state, cognitive functioning and capacity for criminal responsibility.

“Such assessments are essential to ensuring both justice and fairness,” he said.

He also highlighted the need to prioritise the wellbeing of the victim and the wider school community, noting that incidents of this nature often leave lasting psychological effects on classmates, teachers and families.

He called for immediate trauma counselling, continuous psychological support and structured reintegration programmes alongside the criminal investigation.

Sundramoorthy said the incident should also serve as an opportunity to strengthen violence prevention strategies in schools through improved threat assessment, enhanced counselling services, confidential reporting mechanisms and closer collaboration between schools, parents and healthcare professionals.

“Prevention is always more effective than responding after violence has occurred,” he said.

He stressed that the incident should not create the perception that Malaysian schools are unsafe, as serious acts of school violence remain relatively uncommon.

“Ultimately, this case reminds us that juvenile offending requires a balanced response that combines accountability with rehabilitation.

“By responding with compassion, evidence-based policies and respect for due process, Malaysia can protect the interests of both the victim and the alleged offender while strengthening public confidence in the country’s schools and justice system,” he said.

This article first appeared on NST.