Police will be required to introduce more creative programmes to raise awareness among school students about criminal activities, according to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
This will be a part of the new strategy to enhance police presence in schools aimed at curbing juvenile crime, he said.
"This means the police must follow up with more frequent visits and have more direct engagement with schools. It should go beyond casual visits or brief stops," Bernama reported Saifuddin (above) as saying.
"They (the police) must be more creative by conducting various engagement sessions, more frequent and structured visits, inspections and providing advisory services to all stakeholders,” Saifuddin added.
He said the move comes following a cabinet’s directive for the Home Ministry to increase police presence in school areas as part of government efforts to curb juvenile crime.
Yesterday, Saifuddin said that the Home Ministry, through police, will increase patrols and police presence in school areas in support of the government’s newly introduced digital safety policy for students.
He said the initiative is part of an integrated approach encompassing education, prevention and enforcement.
'Strengthening school safety'
Meanwhile, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has vowed to take full responsibility and strengthen safety measures in schools following several crimes involving students recently.
Expressing deep sorrow over the incidents, Fadhlina said the Education Ministry remains committed to implementing safety and well-being reforms in all educational institutions to ensure such incidents do not recur.
"My deputy (Wong Kah Woh) and I take full responsibility towards ensuring improved safety at all institutions under the ministry.
"We will carry out this reform for the safety and well-being of schools together!" she said on Facebook today.
Fadhlina said improvement measures would be implemented immediately to ensure the safety of students, teachers and all school staff.
She also thanked parents and parent-teachers’ associations (PTA) for their continued support for the schools during this difficult time.
The country has been rocked by several horrific crimes in schools recently.
On Oct 14, a 16-year-old female student was fatally stabbed in a school in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, and the suspect, a 14-year-old boy, has been remanded for seven days to assist in investigations.
On Oct 7, a nine-year-old girl from a school in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan, was allegedly molested by a female security guard and her boyfriend, while a Form Three female student at a school in Alor Gajah, Malacca, was raped by her seniors on Oct 2.
NGO steps up
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) said it is ready to offer support services, including psychological and counselling assistance, to those who are either victims or perpetrators of bullying in schools, as part of its efforts to address the increasingly concerning issue of student misconduct.
MCPF senior vice-chairperson Ayub Yaakob said the initiative would be implemented at all levels to ensure every school is a safe place that is free from any form of crime or violence.
He added that the MCPF is also ready to help organise intervention programmes and crime prevention awareness initiatives through training and seminars to educators, parents and the community.
"This issue is something that is extremely critical and needs to be paid serious attention... This is a national issue, and is not solely the government's responsibility.
“Instead, it involves the commitment of all parties, starting at the school level and up to society as a whole," he said.
According to Ayub, MCPF is also committed to empowering crime prevention clubs in schools to raise awareness among students about actions that can affect their future.
He also urged all parties, including students of institutions of higher learning, PTAs, NGOs and the local community to come together to play a role in curbing bullying. - Mkini
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