KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18, 2025: Every time I read about another case of school violence — whether it’s bullying, sexual assault, or the recent fatal stabbing — I find myself asking the same question: where are the parents?
I know how much weight that question carries. Parents are the first teachers. It’s at home where children first learn respect, empathy, and boundaries. When young people cross dangerous lines in school, it feels like a reflection of what they did or didn’t absorb at home.
But I also believe the truth isn’t that simple. Parents do hold responsibility, yes — but they don’t carry it alone. Schools play a role when supervision is weak or when red flags go unnoticed.
Society shapes behaviour too: the violent content on social media, the way peers glorify aggression, and the silence around issues like consent and boundaries. These things seep into young minds in ways parents can’t always control.
What I see is a circle of responsibility. Families, schools, and society are all part of it. Parents can’t expect teachers to fix everything. Teachers can’t discipline without support from families. And society can’t keep pointing fingers while ignoring systemic failures — from inadequate counselling in schools to the culture of covering up misconduct.
So are parents at fault? Partly, yes. But not entirely. Maybe the better question is: how do we share responsibility so our children feel safe — not just in classrooms, but in life?
Because in the end, violence in schools isn’t just about the kids who commit it. It’s about the adults — parents, teachers, leaders — who either show them a better way or let them stumble in the dark.
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Do We Really Need the Cane Back in Schools?
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18, 2025: The recent spate of violent incidents in Malaysian schools — from bullying and sexual assault to the tragic stabbing of a teenage girl — has understandably shaken public confidence in what should be safe learning spaces. In the heat of this crisis, some voices are calling for the return of the cane, a throwback to an era when fear of punishment supposedly kept students in line.
But let’s pause for a moment. Is the cane really the answer, or just a reflex from a time gone by?
Yes, schools are struggling with discipline. Yes, students today face pressures we could hardly imagine — social media toxicity, fractured family dynamics, peer influence, and an often overwhelming academic environment. But does striking a child solve any of that? At best, it suppresses behaviour temporarily. At worst, it normalises violence as a tool of control.
Corporal punishment does not teach respect; it teaches fear. It does not instil empathy, responsibility, or moral grounding — the very qualities we desperately need in our young people. If anything, it risks reinforcing the same cycle of aggression we are now so alarmed to see.
What Malaysia’s schools need is not the return of the cane, but the courage to embrace deeper reforms. Values and character education, meaningful counselling, safe reporting systems, parental engagement, and stronger teacher training are not “soft” solutions. They are the hard work of building a generation that understands boundaries, respect, and empathy.
The urgency is real — but not for the cane. The urgency is for us to stop mistaking punishment for discipline, and start teaching our children what it means to live together with respect.
But let’s pause for a moment. Is the cane really the answer, or just a reflex from a time gone by?
Yes, schools are struggling with discipline. Yes, students today face pressures we could hardly imagine — social media toxicity, fractured family dynamics, peer influence, and an often overwhelming academic environment. But does striking a child solve any of that? At best, it suppresses behaviour temporarily. At worst, it normalises violence as a tool of control.
Corporal punishment does not teach respect; it teaches fear. It does not instil empathy, responsibility, or moral grounding — the very qualities we desperately need in our young people. If anything, it risks reinforcing the same cycle of aggression we are now so alarmed to see.
What Malaysia’s schools need is not the return of the cane, but the courage to embrace deeper reforms. Values and character education, meaningful counselling, safe reporting systems, parental engagement, and stronger teacher training are not “soft” solutions. They are the hard work of building a generation that understands boundaries, respect, and empathy.
The urgency is real — but not for the cane. The urgency is for us to stop mistaking punishment for discipline, and start teaching our children what it means to live together with respect.
Friday, October 17, 2025
Are Gadgets the Root of School Violence?
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18, 2025: The recent rise in violent incidents among students has reignited debate on whether gadgets and smartphones should be banned in schools.
On one side, educators and parents argue that mobile phones are a distraction, fuelling cyberbullying and even becoming tools to record or spread violent acts.
“Smartphones can amplify aggression — what used to be a private fight now becomes viral content,” said one teacher.
Others caution against placing the blame entirely on gadgets. Education experts point out that violence often stems from deeper issues such as family stress, peer pressure, or lack of emotional support systems in schools. Phones, they argue, act more as triggers than root causes.
Parents, meanwhile, remain divided. Some see gadgets as essential for safety and learning, while others fear overexposure to harmful online content. “I want my child to have a phone in case of emergencies, but I also worry about misuse,” said a mother of two secondary school students.
Many suggest a middle ground: allowing gadgets with restrictions, strengthening digital literacy programmes, and prioritising counselling and character-building efforts. “The solution is not just banning phones — it’s teaching students how to use them responsibly,” said an education researcher.
As the debate continues, one thing remains clear: school violence cannot be solved by a ban alone. The challenge goes beyond gadgets — it lies in addressing the social, emotional, and cultural factors shaping young Malaysians today.
On one side, educators and parents argue that mobile phones are a distraction, fuelling cyberbullying and even becoming tools to record or spread violent acts.
“Smartphones can amplify aggression — what used to be a private fight now becomes viral content,” said one teacher.
Others caution against placing the blame entirely on gadgets. Education experts point out that violence often stems from deeper issues such as family stress, peer pressure, or lack of emotional support systems in schools. Phones, they argue, act more as triggers than root causes.
Parents, meanwhile, remain divided. Some see gadgets as essential for safety and learning, while others fear overexposure to harmful online content. “I want my child to have a phone in case of emergencies, but I also worry about misuse,” said a mother of two secondary school students.
Many suggest a middle ground: allowing gadgets with restrictions, strengthening digital literacy programmes, and prioritising counselling and character-building efforts. “The solution is not just banning phones — it’s teaching students how to use them responsibly,” said an education researcher.
As the debate continues, one thing remains clear: school violence cannot be solved by a ban alone. The challenge goes beyond gadgets — it lies in addressing the social, emotional, and cultural factors shaping young Malaysians today.
After 14 Years, I Write Again
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18, 2025: It’s been ages since I last poured my thoughts into this blog. My final entry, “No Winner in This Madness,” was written on Saturday, July 9, 2011. And now, after so many silent years, I feel compelled to write again.
Today, Oct 18, 2025, I reopen this space with a heavy heart. The recent reports of rape, brutal violence, even murder in Malaysian schools have shaken me to the core.
These are places that should be sanctuaries for our children — where they are meant to learn, laugh, and grow under the protection of teachers and the guidance of education.
Instead, they have become headlines of horror, leaving parents anxious, communities outraged, and the nation questioning what has gone so terribly wrong.
As a Malaysian, and as someone who has always believed in the power of education to shape character, I cannot remain silent.
This is not just about statistics or isolated cases — this is about lives shattered, trust broken, and futures stolen. And it forces us to confront difficult questions: Have we failed our children? Where did our values slip away? And more importantly, how do we rebuild a safer, kinder environment for the generations to come?
Today, Oct 18, 2025, I reopen this space with a heavy heart. The recent reports of rape, brutal violence, even murder in Malaysian schools have shaken me to the core.
These are places that should be sanctuaries for our children — where they are meant to learn, laugh, and grow under the protection of teachers and the guidance of education.
Instead, they have become headlines of horror, leaving parents anxious, communities outraged, and the nation questioning what has gone so terribly wrong.
As a Malaysian, and as someone who has always believed in the power of education to shape character, I cannot remain silent.
This is not just about statistics or isolated cases — this is about lives shattered, trust broken, and futures stolen. And it forces us to confront difficult questions: Have we failed our children? Where did our values slip away? And more importantly, how do we rebuild a safer, kinder environment for the generations to come?
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