PETALING JAYA: A quiet crisis is brewing in schools – students no longer fear consequences, teachers are losing authority and parents are quicker to shield their children than shape them.
University of Nottingham Malaysia Assoc Prof Dr Siti Khadijah Zainal Badri said yesterday’s school incident in which a female student was stabbed to death and other episodes of violence such as the gang-rape in classrrom, reflected a worrying psychological shift among some youths.
“When such a heinous act occurs in broad daylight and under the nose of the system, it signals something is deeply wrong,” she said, adding that such behaviour may stem from moral decay, weak enforcement, peer influence or desensitisation to sexual content.
Siti Khadijah said the perpetrators’ apparent indifference to consequences suggest a deeper psychological issue, aggravated by constant exposure to explicit material on streaming platforms, video games and social media.
“This kind of exposure can warp a young person’s sense of consent, respect and accountability, making harmful behaviour seem normal.”
Because much of this content reflects different cultural norms, she urged stricter regulation to ensure local children are not absorbing values that clash with Malaysia’s moral standards.
“Society’s collective behaviour shapes how justice and morality are perceived. It’s crucial that our system balances opportunity, recovery and punishment,” she said.
CRIB Foundation co-chairperson Srividhya Ganapathy said the incident underscored the need for joint public education campaigns by the police, Education Ministry and Women, Family and Community Development Ministry on the legal and moral consequences of producing or sharing child sexual abuse material.
She said the campaigns should highlight that boys can be prosecuted for sex with minors and promote respect, empathy and digital responsibility.
“The act did not signal total moral collapse, but a dangerous illusion of impunity. Even if isolated, such an incident should force us to examine the gaps that allowed it to happen.”
Srividhya said moral panic solves nothing – honest, ongoing conversations about sex, consent and respect must start early and continue through adolescence.
“At the same time, schools need to strengthen supervision, teacher training and reporting mechanisms, so prevention is built on awareness and accountability, not fear,” she added.
Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said discipline in schools was once swift, clear and backed by parents, but many students today see rules as negotiable and consequences as optional.
“Teachers once held moral authority, second only to parents. Today, that authority is often undermined by social media ridicule, grade obsession and a system that prioritises academics over character.”
She said it was alarming that such an act could occur in a place meant to be safe and guided by ethics.
“When a crime happens in broad daylight on school grounds, it raises questions about discipline, supervision and moral grounding. It reflects a lapse in empathy, respect and accountability – values which are central to education.”
Noor Azimah urged a review of the disciplinary framework and moral education system, saying discipline must go beyond punishment to include consistent moral guidance, parental support and a whole-school approach to values.
