KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC has urged the Education Ministry to rescind the requirement in which parents sign a form waiving any indemnity claims when their children take part in school activities.

Its secretary-general S. Muru-gesan said exemption should be given when such activities required the pupils’ compulsory participation.

“The parents then cannot refuse to send their children to such activities,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

Referring to the death of three schoolchildren in Kampar last week, Murugesan said the ministry should consider compensating the affected families and sending the other students and teachers for counselling.

He said there were unanswered questions over the incident such as why the children were allowed to cross the bridge at a late hour (about 10.40pm) and were not wearing life jackets.

“We want to know if the school or the organisers had taken out insurance for the children as required under Government guidelines,” he said.

Murugesan said people should stop blaming the children for the disaster. “It is normal for children to jump and play on a bridge. It should not be used as an excuse to hide the real reason for the bridge’s collapse,” he added.