30/10/2025
๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ: ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ-๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
The first step to tackling school violence is acknowledging that school violence is caused by systemic failure, rather than moral decay.
The โmoral decayโ lens is shortsighted and favours punitive action over prevention. It obscures real problems: lack of comprehensive s*xuality education (CSE) and mental health support, overstretched educators and parents, and the tendency to sweep things under the rug. For too long, our society has valued compliance over courage, rankings over reform, and prestige over protection at the expense of women and children.
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐
When a school shooting occurs in the US, the aftermath plays like a broken record. First, shock. Then, calls denouncing gun violence, attempts to scapegoat (mental illness and vulnerable minorities are convenient targets), and โthoughts and prayersโ. Metal detectors, armed guards, and active-shooter drills are sold as solutions while lobby groups and the politicians they fund stall meaningful gun reform.
Malaysia must look at nuanced and evidence-based solutions instead of blanket bans based on โback in my dayโ opinions. We must resist the โhardeningโ of schools. Passing through the school gate should bring enthusiasm, not trigger the anxiety felt at a security checkpoint. CCTVs collect evidence and act as a deterrent, but they cannot cover every corner. Constant police presence is logistically unfeasible in the long-term. As it is, policing manpower is insufficient against population needs. A 2023 US report found that metal detectors had minimal impact on security and were costly, time-consuming, and negatively impacted studentsโ perception of safety.
Meanwhile, global evidence on smartphone bans in schools is mixed. We must also factor in (smart)phones being the main mode of communication as children travel between school and after-school activities, with both parents working and payphones extinct. In emergencies, parents will want to reach their kids instantly.
๐๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ: ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น
The Kedah and Malacca gang rapes did not occur in a vacuum. By age 12, many Malaysian children have been exposed to explicit material online. The rise of hardcore p**n, which leans into aggression, coercion and degradation, warps perceptions of intimacy and increases risky behaviour which predominantly endangers women. R**e enablers live among us. An X user screenshot disgusting comments requesting links of the Malacca video on an Astro Awani Tiktok where Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek warned against spreading those exact videos.
Findings on adolescent s*xual behaviours and Malaysiakini's excellent piece should signal the end of the abstinence-only approach. While abstinence may be the first line of protection against underage/premature s*xual encounters, delaying CSE risks girlsโ safety and leaves boys vulnerable to misogynistic radicalisation.
Earlier this year, I wrote about the , which packages distorted ideas of masculinity and gender as โself-improvementโ and โtraditional valuesโ. is seen to unfairly weaken men; relationships are framed as a game of control and dominance.
Incel (โinvoluntary celibateโ) culture springs from the rage of men thinking that women owe them s*x or affection. While the manosphere promotes resentment over loss of superiority, incel culture promotes despair and dehumanisation of women. The underlying thinking shifts, from โwomen are unfairโ to โwomen deserve punishmentโ.
Why this distinction matters: not everyone who stumbles into manosphere content becomes an incel, but self-reinforcing algorithms can turn curiosity into misinformed conviction and potentially, violence.
๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐
We cannot wait till 2027 for the new s*x education module (PEERS).
1. While PEERS is in development, ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ โ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ณ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ: bodies like the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) and the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA Malaysia, NGOs, activists, and healthcare professionals. Religious sentiments do not necessarily have to conflict with CSE. Effective CSE recognises cultural sensitivity, and experienced advocates are more than ready to work with religious leaders.
2. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ช๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป, ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ (๐๐ฃ๐๐ช๐ ) ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ, defined as intentional, gender-based killing of women and girls. In 2024, the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) highlighted its media monitoring results of femicide cases. Between January and August, 17 cases were reported; 60% were committed by partners (married and unmarried). If we do not document femicide along with other forms of gender-based violence (GBV), we will form incomplete intervention and protection strategies.
3. Following the findings of the school safety audit, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต (๐ ๐ข๐) ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐. Increase the counsellor-to-student ratio (currently around 1:500) to at least 1:350. Counsellors must be trained in trauma-informed care and digital-age mental health, with emergency response protocols for s*xual or violent incidents.
4. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ฒ๐
๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐บ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐. Many school administrators tend to self-censor or deal with matters in-house, for fear of an enquiry from the district or state education departments. We need to empower teachers, parents, and children so that things no longer get swept under the rug.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ, ๐ป๐ผ๐ โ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐โ
If we want safer schools, we must confront what our current systems enable, not just punish what they fail to prevent. As policymakers, our outlook must tend towards promoting knowledge and accountability, backed by evidence and empathy. Ultimately, it is not โmoral decayโ we must fight. It is moral courage we must find: to fix what is broken, to empower stakeholders, and to build schools where discipline grows from respect instead of fear.
๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ช๐๐
๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐๐ป๐ธ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐น๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ป (๐๐๐จ๐ก)
๐๐๐ฃ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐
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๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐:
1. Smith, L., Lyles, T. and Saperstone, D. (2023). Metal Detectors - โSecurity Theater,โ Not Safer Schools. [online] Citizens for Juvenile Justice. Available at: https://www.cfjj.org/metal-detectors.
2. Goodyear, V.A., Randhawa, A., Pรฉymane Adab, Hareth Al-Janabi, Fenton, S., Jones, K., Michail, M., Morrison, B., Patterson, P., Quinlan, J., Sitch, A., Twardochleb, R., Wade, M. and Pallan, M. (2025). School phone policies and their association with mental wellbeing, phone use, and social media use (SMART Schools): a cross-sectional observational study. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, [online] 51(101211), pp.101211โ101211. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101211.
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3. Campenhout, C.V. (2025). Study finds smartphone bans in Dutch schools improved focus. Reuters. [online] 4 Jul. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/technology/study-finds-smartphone-bans-dutch-schools-improved-focus-2025-07-04/.
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4. Yusuf, S., Teimouri, M., Ibrahim, M. S., Megat Ibrahim, N. Z., Nazri, S. M. and Victor, S. A. (2023) โLetโs Think They are Safe Online!: An Asian Perspective on the Classification of Childrenโs Cyber Risksโ, Intellectual Discourse, 31(1). doi: 10.31436/id.v31i1.1864. Available at: https://journals.iium.edu.my/intdiscourse/index.php/id/article/view/1864.
5. Psychology Today. (2025). The Dangerous Rise of S*xual Strangulation Among Teens. [online] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/consciously-creating-your-soul-life/202504/the-dangerous-rise-of-s*xual-strangulation-among.
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6. Kotecha, S. (2025). โHe strangled me without askingโ: The dangers of choking during s*x. [online] 13 Mar. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62zwy0nex0o.
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7. Willingham, A. (2023). What does the term โincelโ mean? [online] CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/16/us/incel-involuntary-celibate-explained-cec.
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8. UN Women (2024). Five essential facts to know about | UN Women โ Headquarters. [online] UN Women โ Headquarters. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/explainer/five-essential-facts-to-know-about-femicide.
9. Aryf, D.K. and Yiswaree Palansamy (2025). S*x education taboo leaves vulnerable teens at risk, say experts. [online] Malaysiakini. Available at: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/758495.