MALAYSIA was shaken recently by the horrific case of a 14-year-old boy who murdered a 16-year-old girl during school hours, attacking her with a sharp weapon in a school toilet.
This tragedy followed other deeply troubling incidents – the rape of a Form Three student in Malacca by two seniors, and the gang rape of a schoolgirl in Kedah.
These cases remind us that violence in one school is never an isolated incident; it can happen anywhere – here or anywhere else in the world.
Teachers carry immense responsibility but their role extends far beyond teaching geography, history, mathematics or science.
Students today face intense academic pressure, and those who feel average, overlooked or emotionally unsupported may quietly lose their sense of direction. Academic success alone cannot shape character or emotional resilience.
This is where one essential element matters: spiritual or moral grounding. It need not be tied to any particular faith but rather to the broader idea of recognising a higher purpose or moral compass.
At its heart, religion – in its universal sense – helps the mind orient towards an ultimate reality, a guiding principle that brings meaning and direction, much like the star that, in Christian tradition, led the wise men to Bethlehem.
This “guiding star” can be understood as a sense of purpose. Without it, young people can become emotionally untethered and vulnerable to harmful behaviour. Those with emotional grounding form healthier relationships but those deprived of it often struggle with empathy, affection and self-worth.
Emotion, after all, is the bridge between intellect and action. Logic alone does not move us. You may walk past a stray kitten stuck in a drain without acting until you realise it belongs to your own cat. Emotional connection prompts action where reason does not.
Purpose also elevates the simplest of jobs. A grass cutter helps prevent mosquito breeding. A drink seller who reduces sugar content doesn’t just earn a living, he protects his customers’ health. Purposeful living means understanding how our daily roles contribute to the well-being of others.
From emotional balance flows resilience. Compassion strengthens empathy; forgiveness shields us from the destructive anger that can ruin lives. Without inner moral guidance, society must rely on external rules, punishments and enforcement to keep order.
This is why cameras have become a modern “eye of God”. A motorcyclist may instinctively retaliate after a minor collision unless a traffic-light camera is watching. Many countries have reduced road accidents simply by installing cameras at closer intervals. The camera becomes a substitute for conscience.
Yet, we also possess an inner “camera” – an awareness of God or a higher moral presence within our own consciousness. When we live with that awareness, violence at the personal, communal or national level becomes unthinkable.
Where conscience is alive, conflict has little room to grow.
Ultimately, the safety of our children cannot depend solely on disciplinary rules, school protocols or surveillance cameras. These tools matter but they cannot replace the moral compass that must be nurtured within every young person.
As a society, we must recommit to cultivating emotional resilience, empathy and purpose – at home, in schools and in our communities. Only when we strengthen the inner “guiding star” in every child can we hope to prevent future tragedies and build a generation that chooses compassion over violence, conscience over impulse and humanity over harm.
Joachim Ng champions interfaith harmony. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
