gang rape case in Melaka<\/p>\n
<\/a> and a <\/p>\n statutory rape case in Kedah<\/p>\n <\/a> were exposed only after videos recorded on the perpetrators\u2019 smartphones were circulated.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Oct 17 said the government is open to allowing teachers to administer caning under strict guidelines to restore order in schools, though he stressed the need for a balanced approach grounded in \u201ccare and compassion\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cSchools must not cover up bullying cases. Even in minor incidents, teachers should advise and, if necessary, administer caning as a form of reprimand,\u201d he said in Putrajaya.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile human rights groups may see this as excessive, in certain cases we need to allow some flexibility, with tight safeguards in place.\u201d <\/p>\n Besides the two rape cases, Malaysia is also reeling from the <\/p>\n Oct 14 brutal killing of a 16-year-old<\/p>\n <\/a> and a sexual assault case in Selangor, as well as <\/p>\n bullying incidents in Sabah<\/p>\n <\/a> and Johor since early 2025.<\/p>\n In response, the Cabinet on Oct 17 proposed raising the minimum age for social media users to 16, up from the previously proposed age of 13. Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also said that police will step up patrols and digital safety awareness campaigns.<\/p>\n According to the Education Ministry, caning is allowed in schools under strict guidelines, but some teachers say the practice has been largely discouraged in recent years.<\/p>\n Additionally, a 2018 Education Ministry circular already prohibits students from taking smartphones to school, though tablets and laptops are permitted with school approval. <\/p>\n \u201cThere have been gaps in enforcement which need to be addressed,\u201d said a ministry official, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media. <\/p>\n He added that the ministry is now reviewing the guidelines to ensure they are more effectively implemented.<\/p>\n Datuk Seri Anwar and Selangor police have since Oct 15 <\/p>\n laid the blame on unchecked social media use<\/p>\n <\/a> for the occurrences of violence, with the former saying social media and online gaming lead to troubling behaviour.<\/p>\n Mr Anwar said Malaysia could draw lessons from countries that have already imposed similar restrictions. <\/p>\n Australia, France and Britain are among countries that have banned smartphone use in schools to curb distractions and promote in-person learning.<\/p>\n Civil society advocates disagree with Mr Anwar. According to them, there is little proof that banning smartphones in schools and reviving corporal punishment will curb violence in schools.<\/p>\n Child rights activist Hartini Zainudin wrote on Facebook on Oct 17 that research from countries such as Britain and Australia reveals \u201clittle evidence that bans curb deeper violence, bullying, or despair\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cPhones may amplify cruelty, but they don\u2019t create it. Violence in schools is rooted in something far more human: adult neglect, systemic failure and the silence that follows every tragedy,\u201d she wrote in response to the government proposal.<\/p>\n Mr Aizat Shamsuddin, co-founder of Initiate.my, a youth group that works to prevent and counter violent extremism, told The Straits Times that measures such as caning may provide only short-term deterrence.<\/p>\n \u201cPunishment may deter immediate misbehaviour, but it doesn\u2019t address the underlying emotional distress that drives violence,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n He highlighted that Malaysia\u2019s school counselling system remains under-resourced, limiting its ability to provide early intervention and emotional support to students in distress.<\/p>\n \u201cTeachers and counsellors must be trained to recognise early warning signs such as aggression, social withdrawal or manipulation so they can intervene before problems escalate.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Aziff Azuddin, a researcher at Kuala Lumpur-based think-tank Iman Research, said proponents of caning and smartphone bans are mostly attracted to these measures due to their simplicity.<\/p>\n \u201cThe science has shown that corporal punishment doesn\u2019t solve the root of the problem,\u201d he told ST<\/p>\n \u201cInstilling fear through limited corporal punishment seeks to contain the outcome, but this does not deal with what causes anti-social behaviours,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr Aziff noted that children now have unrestricted access to online content, from educational to extremist material, while government policy has yet to catch up with these realities.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government should hold social media companies accountable for the content they host. Limiting access won\u2019t work because children will always find ways to bypass restrictions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Family members of a 16-year-old student who was stabbed in school holding a press conference after her funeral.<\/p>\n PHOTO: THE STAR\/ASIA NEWS NETWORK<\/p>\n Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek had previously announced a RM3 million (S$917,000) plan to install CCTVs at 200 schools with a history of bullying incidents, in addition to plans to deploy counsellors to schools nationwide.<\/p>\n A new subject called Character Education will be introduced in the 2027 school curriculum, with pilot implementation starting in pre-school in 2026, to strengthen moral values and emotional development.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The government has also signalled plans<\/p>\n <\/a> to hold social media platforms more accountable for harmful online content.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, some schools have already started scanning students with handheld metal detectors, aimed at easing fears among parents and students, while others opt for daily spot checks.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are more than 1,000 students at my school. The spot checks can be time-consuming and stressful but, for now, this is necessary to make students feel safe and reassure parents,\u201d said a teacher in Selangor. They also declined to be named, as they were not authorised to speak to the media.<\/p>\n However, the same teacher welcomed the government\u2019s proposal to restore caning.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCaning is time-tested. It has proven effective in keeping problematic students in line. I am talking as a teacher and a father,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But even as the government tightens policies, some parents are still struggling to keep up with the pace of change. <\/p>\n A teacher from SMK Bandar Utama Damansara 4 using a metal detector to screen students before they enter the school compound as a pre-emptive measure following the murder of a student earlier this week, in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Oct 16.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: SHARIL AZRI<\/p>\n Most of them tend to underestimate the subtle influence of online culture, said the chairwoman of school watchdog Parent Action Group for Education, Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim.<\/p>\n \u201cParents may think their sons are just watching comedy or gaming videos, but these can include sexist jokes or influencers promoting anti-feminist ideas,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Datin Noor Azimah said most adults are not trained to spot warning signs, which makes early intervention at home more difficult.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/db4bcad7a357ba6f99e8f332d438b1cd8a3e811c19b0ad6f9c8ee3d2b3f53503.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/8086301f38c42e6b4468d4939e9a435e08ccb4e33637af1ca6f77ae6883386c4.webp\")
<\/p>\n