More students go hysterical

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Lerner, Aug 20, 2005.

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  1. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    More students go hysterical

    By Azlan Othman & Hj Minor Absah
    The mystery phenomenon that has affected students from two schools in the capital is showing no signs of abating. And rumours spreading wildly through the short message service (SMS) are apparently sowing more confusion in the minds of the public.
    Yesterday, more students were hit by the unexplained hysteria but this time at Sayyidina Hussain Secondary School in Jerudong.

    It all began with a Form 4 student returning to the classroom from the restroom at around 10am, according to a teacher from the school. When other students started getting hysterical as well, the school asked all the students to assemble at the hall.

    But as the situation threatened to get out of control, the school called the parents and asked them take their children home, the Bulletin was told.

    The Royal Brunei Police Force last night warned that anyone found guilty of spreading such malicious SMS would be dealt with accordingly.

    Following the hysteria cases that have occurred in schools in the country affecting several students in the past weeks, the police in a press statement advised the public not to be influenced with false rumours spreading through the short message service.

    The police warned it would not hesitate to investigate false rumours spread through the short message service, which is a criminal offence and offenders could face fine and imprisonment.

    The statement added spreading false rumours is an offence under Section 34 and Section 35 of the Public Order Act, Chapter 148 and offenders could face jail and fine, if found guilty.

    SMS criss-crossed yesterday concerning the Jerudong school incident. SMS rumours claiming that cases of hysteria occurring at a government office at the Old Airport, another two schools in the capital and in Gadong were also spread, which invited the warning from the police.

    The public relations officer at the Ministry of Religious Affairs last night denied giving any instruction (which was spread through SMS) that their officers have instructed people not to wander around after midnight (August 18) because STPRI's 'ghost gate' or "Guris" would be opened.

    Meanwhile, the principal and deputy principal of STPRI School, in an interview with the Bulletin yesterday, refuted allegations that the school was conducting a ceremony to chase out evil spirits last night. The school principal said they too were inundated with calls concerning the ceremony.

    The ceremony, according to SMS rumours, was to counter-act the spirits that have surrounded the building since the first hysteria was detected in July.

    "This is beyond the knowledge of the school. The schoolteachers also received SMS saying well-known 'bomohs' would be called to chase the spirits away. It is just an assumption to frighten the students and their guardians," he said.

    The principal admitted that various efforts are being made such as performing Hajat prayers, recitation of the Holy Quran and various religious activities to stabilise the situation at school.

    A large number of curious onlookers were seen last night near the school.

    The mystery phenomenon has become the topic of discussion nowadays. Some parents have voiced their concerns especially with examinations just around the corner and called for more assimilation of religious teachings at schools to wipe out any activities, which are against the teachings of Islam.
     
  2. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    Uncredited massive pasting is against the teachings of DI.
     
  3. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    It's entirely unclear what is meant here by the term "hysterical."
    I'm guessing that it's just a matter of drug abuse. Big deal.
    Jack
     
  4. DesElms

    DesElms New Member

    Lerner -- both of you -- can't you think of anything else to post? Between the two of you, you can't think of one, single, relevant, interesting thing about which to post? Nothing? You have to reach for obscure, poorly-written articles from the foreign press -- a press notorious for writing hearsay as though it were fact (and doing it badly in any case) -- to find something about which to post here?

    Can't you take such posts over to DegreeBoard where there might actually be someone -- probably several someones, actually -- who might be just fascinated by such a story?

    Look in any U.S. newspaper at the size of the section where non-U.S. stories which aren't major headlines are printed, and notice what percentage of said newspaper such stories occupy. That's the percentage that any of us give a whit about such stories.

    U.S. nationalism taken to the point of arrogance? Almost certainly. But it is what it is.
     

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