Masidi calls for calm over student prostitution issue

By Dominic Legeh

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun has urged the public to stop speculating on claims that female students in institutions of higher learning in the state are involved in prostitution.

He said the alleged involvement of students in prostitution remained an allegation until an investigation into the claim proved otherwise.

“The problem now is that many people are saying they have heard about it or that they were made to understand about it. But no one has come forward with a confession or things like that.

"To me it is unfair to make allegations on something that is yet to be proven.

“I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt, at least for the moment,” he said when asked to comment on the issue after officiating at the opening of the International Accountancy and Finance Conference 2010 here yesterday.

He said that it was better for all to wait for the police to complete their investigation as a report has already been lodged.

“It is best for us to wait and see if it really happened, as alleged by certain individuals, before making any conclusion. We must be fair to the women and students” said Masidi, who is also in charge of education matters in the state.

He urged those who have evidence related to the issue to come forward and furnish the police and Education Department with details as "proof is what is most important now".

Meanwhile, Masidi advised parents to always be in close contact with their children and follow up on their development, including checking if their children have any problem.

He said that living in the city and in the village was different and the challenges in the city were centred around money.

“Parents who are concerned about their children who are studying in institutions of higher learning can always communicate with the institution’s student affairs office for assistance to monitor their respective children,” he said. - FMT