Lawyers For Liberty (LFL) refers to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s statement that the government is considering reviving caning in schools, banning phones for those under 16 and increasing security monitoring in schools by the police and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
These measures are in response to the alarming incidents involving school-age children, especially the murder of a girl in school and the gang rape of another girl also occurring in school grounds.
The suggestions to reintroduce caning, ban phones or increase surveillance in schools are ineffective, rushed, knee-jerk reactions. They are aimed at giving the false illusion that the issue is being addressed by the government, whilst not doing anything really effective to tackle the problem.
How would introducing caning in schools prevent the occurrence of rape, murder or other acts of violence? Would banning phones for those under 16 address the sexism that is the driving force behind these incidents? What is achieved through increased surveillance of schools when incidents of violence happen spontaneously and frequently outside school hours?
It is clear that none of the government’s suggestions would have any effect in preventing similar instances of violence from happening again in the future.
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There is an astounding lack of thought in the government’s response to these incidents, as indicated by the prime minister’s statement attributing the incidents to the “influence of social media and also online games”. On what basis is Anwar making this conclusion? Has there been any data or research to suggest such claims? Anwar cites none.
Serious issues need serious consideration, not off-the-cuff responses, with an eye to preventing any political backlash. How can government make any policies to resolve the problem when it is obvious that no thought or effort has gone into even identifying the root of the problem?
And the root of the problem is sexism, prejudice and bigotry against women. We cannot ignore that these were acts of violence perpetrated against women, who became victims simply because of their gender.
The primary focus, therefore, should be in addressing how sexism in society has become so prevalent that it has led to the commission of acts of gender-based violence.
In addressing this, the government cannot absolve itself of responsibility for the perpetuation of sexism in society. For example, it was only last month that the Kelantan police chief suggested the idea that girls involved in statutory rape cases be charged alongside the adult male perpetrators because it was ‘consensual’, a suggestion that was later backed by the Kelantan mufti.
This shows that there is a fundamental lack of awareness even among high-ranking civil servants about child protection laws. This reprehensible suggestion, even though strongly condemned by the public, was brushed away by the home minister as merely an “expression of opinion”.
The government failed to strongly condemn and take a stand on the irresponsible message of the Kelantan police chief and the Kelantan mufti that young girls should be protected from exploitation, not condemned and prosecuted. This failure becomes tacit endorsement by the government of the vilification of girls as offenders, even where they are victims.
If this continues to be the prevailing thought amongst those responsible for enacting and enforcing laws, it is clear that the problem is systemic and cannot be resolved through superficial, half-baked measures.
If the government truly is serious about resolving this issue, then it must look seriously into the problem of sexism and its own failure and apathy in tackling it.
If the PM and government continue to ignore this and blame everything on social media or games, the public would be right to continue to worry about the safety of their children, especially girls, whether inside or outside school.
Zaid Malek is the director of Lawyers For Liberty.
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