"The real danger isn’t the phone — it’s what we fail to teach before we hand it over."
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22, 2025: Recent incidents — both involving teenagers, sexual assault, and the misuse of mobile phones — point to deep-rooted social and moral issues that go far beyond isolated acts of misconduct.
What These Incidents Reveal
1. Moral and Emotional Detachment
That such acts were not only committed but recorded speaks volumes about the loss of empathy and awareness among today’s youth. Filming the assault reflects not just cruelty but a dangerous normalisation of humiliation — fuelled by online exposure to explicit content and the pursuit of validation through social media.
2. Breakdown of Parental and Institutional Oversight
Parents and teachers are often unaware of what students are exposed to online or how they use their devices. Easy access to smartphones without guidance has blurred the line between healthy digital engagement and harmful behaviour.
3. Peer Pressure and Toxic Masculinity
The group nature of these crimes suggests the power of peer influence and a distorted sense of masculinity. Without proper sex education or moral grounding, respect and consent become foreign concepts — replaced by dominance and ego.
4. Failure of Early Intervention
Warning signs like violent behaviour, bullying, or early exposure to pornography are too often missed. Many schools lack trained counsellors or systems to identify and support at-risk students before problems escalate.
What Has Gone Wrong
Digital access has outpaced moral development. Teens may own smartphones, but emotional maturity and supervision lag behind.
Sex and respect remain taboo topics. With adults silent, many teens turn to the internet for answers — often with damaging consequences.
Reactive, not preventive, systems. We act only after tragedy strikes, rather than fostering moral and digital literacy early on.
• Weak community involvement. The responsibility for shaping young minds cannot rest solely with schools; it must be shared by parents, communities, and faith institutions.
Possible Solutions
1. Digital and Moral Education from an Early Age
Introduce digital citizenship and values-based learning in schools — teaching not just how to use technology, but how to use it responsibly and compassionately.
2. Stronger Parental Monitoring and Support
Parents should set clear boundaries for phone use, use parental controls wisely, and maintain open conversations about peer influence and online risks.
3. Comprehensive Sex and Consent Education
Young people need honest, age-appropriate discussions about consent, respect, and emotional intelligence — free from shame or taboo.
4. Early Counselling and Behavioural Intervention
Equip schools with trained counsellors who can identify emotional distress, aggression, or deviant behaviour before harm occurs.
5. Community-Based Awareness Campaigns
Engage religious, civic, and community leaders to reinforce values of empathy, compassion, and social responsibility beyond the classroom.
6. Regulated Smartphone Policies in Schools
Support policies limiting smartphone use during school hours — ensuring focus, safety, and social interaction — while keeping digital learning accessible through supervised devices.
A Deeper Reflection
These cases are not merely about technology or crime; they are a mirror reflecting our collective failure to guide and ground our youth. The tragedy lies not only in the acts themselves but in the silence and apathy that allowed such behaviour to grow unchecked.
To rebuild, Malaysia must look beyond punishment toward prevention — through education, empathy, and genuine engagement.
The real danger isn’t the phone — it’s what we fail to teach before we hand it over.
No comments:
Post a Comment