In her complaint, the student alleged that Christians were prohibited last week from wearing crosses to the school. — Reuters pic

KUCHING, Sept 2 — The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) is investigating the authenticity of a complaint that Christian students of a secondary school in the Serian Division were banned by the principal from wearing necklaces with crosses.

"We have received a complaint from one of the schoolgirls yesterday, but this morning, she told us she had withdrawn her complaint against the principal, saying that the principal is a nice person," ACS secretary-general Ambrose Linang told Malay Mail Online today.

Linang said they were checking if the complaint had basis and whether the retraction was coerced.

He said ACS would urge the authorities to take appropriate action if the complaint was found to be true.

In her complaint, the student alleged that Christians were prohibited last week from wearing crosses to the school. The cross is an iconic Christian symbol.

Separately, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS Baru) vice president Andrew Puro lodged a police report against the principal at Serian police headquarters this morning.

Puro, who was accompanied by party president Cobbold John Lusoi, said he was upset and decided to lodge the report after reading a related Facebook entry that has since been deleted.

"The principal's action is humiliating the Christian faith," he said, and urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation.

Serian DAP branch chairman Edward Andrew Luwak also urged the authorities to reprimand the principal for allegedly disallowing Christian students from wearing necklaces attached with the crosses.

He said a church lay leader had filed a complaint with the Serian education officer after parents of a female student had told the local church leaders about the principal, last week.

"The principal was also said to have made a very sensitive statement to a female student by saying that rather than wearing the cross, it would be good for her to go and carry one from the graveyard," he added, referring to the cross being erected above the buried coffins at the Christian cemetery.

Luwak said the lay leader was present when the principal was summoned by the education officer.

He added the principal later apologised for his mistake to the education officer.