PARENTS must take an active interest in their children's activities, particularly their use of digital communication and social media platforms
Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, emphasised that such awareness must begin within the family unit, as existing legal enforcement alone is insufficient to address the growing issue.
"Even if we may not like interfering in others’ business, right now it has become a necessity for us to know what our children are doing—whether they are at home or outside the home," she said.
“At home, if they are constantly glued to their mobile phones, that’s a challenge for parents, and we must be firm and strict with our children,” she added when met after attending the MADANI Nationhood Seminar in Lundu today.
Her comments followed a recent incident in Kelantan, where a police officer lodged a report after discovering sexually explicit messages on his child’s mobile phone, exchanged with a teenage boy.
Nancy stressed that the type of upbringing children receive at home plays a significant role in shaping their behaviour and interactions within the wider community.
If not properly guided, she warned, this could lead to psychological consequences and exposure to behaviours that run contrary to positive social values.
She also highlighted the need for a new approach to social education, particularly regarding sex education in schools, as part of wider efforts to tackle youth-related social problems.
“Although this subject is already taught in schools, it remains inadequate. A new approach is necessary—one that provides comprehensive understanding to teenagers,” she explained.
She acknowledged that sex education remains a taboo topic in the country, but insisted that efforts must be made to reframe it as an essential form of learning, not only for students but also involving parents, who must help convey its moral and religious dimensions.
Nancy further underlined that it is the ministry’s responsibility to ensure that parenting programmes include elements that help parents understand the importance of such education for their children. - April 20, 2025
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