Violence must never become a culture in Malaysia, says Lam Thye

 

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia must take immediate and collective action to prevent violence from becoming normalised in society, particularly following recent cases involving students being attacked and stabbed in schools, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

The Alliance for a Safe Community chairman said repeated incidents of violence could desensitise the public and lead to aggressive behaviour and physical force being viewed as acceptable ways of resolving conflicts.

“Violence must never become a culture in Malaysia,” he said when contacted on Sunday (Oct 18).

Lee said prevention efforts must begin immediately and involve the Government, schools, families, communities, enforcement agencies, non-governmental organisations and the media.

He called on schools to strengthen programmes focusing on students’ emotional well-being, discipline, empathy, respect, conflict resolution and non-violent communication.

Students must be taught that anger, provocation or disagreement could never justify violence, he added.

Lee also stressed the need for stronger early-warning and intervention mechanisms in schools, saying teachers, counsellors and administrators should be equipped to identify aggressive behaviour, threats, serious bullying and other warning signs before situations escalate into tragedies.

Parents, he said, also played a crucial role in shaping children's attitudes and behaviour.

“True strength lies not in aggression, but in self-control, respect and the ability to resolve differences peacefully,” he said.

Lee also highlighted the influence of social media, warning that exposure to violent content, online threats, humiliation and cyberbullying could contribute to an environment in which aggressive behaviour was normalised.

He said digital responsibility and online civility should therefore be incorporated into efforts to educate young people.

While emphasising the importance of prevention, Lee said enforcement must remain firm, particularly in cases involving weapons.

Violent acts should not be dismissed as youthful indiscretion or treated merely as ordinary disciplinary problems, he said, adding that appropriate legal action must be taken whenever criminal offences occur.

However, Lee cautioned that punishment alone would not resolve the problem, calling for a whole-of-society approach to foster respect, restraint, empathy and peaceful conflict resolution.

“We must not wait for another tragedy before we act. Violence must be confronted early, prevented systematically and rejected collectively,” he said.

Lee said Malaysia must remain a society where respect prevailed over anger, dialogue over aggression, and every human life was valued and protected. - Star