The Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) is disturbed by the recent wave of horrific events, including the alleged gang rape involving students at a school in Alor Gajah, Melaka, and the heartbreaking murder of a female student within the grounds of a school in Bandar Utama, Selangor.
These acts of violence, unfolding within spaces meant for learning, growth, and safety, represent an intolerable breach of the trust that society and our education system owe every child.
The tragedies, though different in nature, share the same painful thread, a culture of bullying and violence that has taken root and is spreading unchecked across our schools.
Violence in schools is a national public health emergency. As paediatricians, we see its devastating consequences in our clinics and hospitals: the anxiety, depression, trauma, and sometimes suicidal despair that follow.
We see how these experiences derail young lives, disrupt education, and inflict harm that lingers long after the headlines fade. The impact of violence extends beyond physical wounds. It damages confidence, erodes trust, and sets the stage for cycles of risk-taking, self-harm, and future violence.
The MPA commends the swift action taken by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), following the Melaka incident, particularly the arrest of suspects, the instruction to stop the spread of harmful videos, and the provision of psychosocial support for affected students.
These steps are necessary, but they are not enough. The stabbing in Bandar Utama, occurring just days apart, is a grim reminder that these are not isolated tragedies.
They are symptoms of a deeper, systemic failure, of staff who are inadequately trained to recognise and respond to danger, of schools unequipped to manage mental health crises, and of an education culture that has not sufficiently instilled respect, empathy, and non-violence.
Every adult in a school setting, teachers, wardens, administrators, and security personnel, must be equipped to recognise abuse and respond appropriately. Reporting systems must be accessible, confidential, and trusted, without fear of retaliation.
Schools must be staffed with full-time counsellors and social workers who can intervene early and support children in distress. There can be no ambiguity about violence: disciplinary action must be transparent and firm, especially for sexual offences and assaults involving weapons.
Above all, we must rebuild the moral foundation of our classrooms by teaching values of consent, empathy, equality, and respect from the earliest years.
A classroom should never be a crime scene. It should be a place of laughter, discovery, and belonging. When a parent sends a child to school, that child must return home safe: physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
This statement was issued by Assoc Prof Dr Intan Juliana Hamid, Dr Ong Eng-Joe and Assoc Prof Dr Erwin Khoo, Malaysian Paediatric Association.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
