Ex-tuition teacher in Kuching fined for slapping student over ‘mocking’ WhatsApp status

KUCHING (Jan 7): The Magistrates’ Court here fined a former part-time tuition teacher RM1,200 in default two months’ jail for slapping a 14-year-old student over a WhatsApp status that mocked her use of heavy makeup and social media filters.

Nur Hanisah Abdullah, 24, pleaded guilty when the charge of voluntarily causing hurt, framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, was read to her before Magistrate Nursyaheeqa Nazwa Radzali.

The Section provides for up to a year in prison or a fine not exceeding RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.

Nur Hanisah committed the offence at a tuition centre in Metrocity here at around 11.30am on Feb 16, 2025.

Based on the facts of the case, the female student’s father was browsing Facebook when he came across a video uploaded on Dec 8, 2025, which showed his daughter being slapped by her former tuition teacher.

Acting on a report lodged by the father, police conducted an investigation and discovered the actual incident occurred on Feb 16, 2025.

A witness also confirmed seeing Nur Hanisah using her right hand to slap the victim once on the left cheek.

The investigation found that the incident occurred after the victim posted a WhatsApp status with the remark, ‘dah pakai makeup tebal, sikboh pakey filter tebal lagik’ (already using heavy makeup, no need to use ‘heavy’ filters anymore).

The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Chuah Kai Sheng, while Nur Hanisah was unrepresented by counsel.