INCREASE IN CRIMINAL CASES INVOLVING STUDENTS IN N.SEMBILAN - ALZAFNY

NILAI, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- There has been an almost 0.2 per cent increase in criminal cases, including bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault, involving students in Negeri Sembilan, compared to last year.

Negeri Sembilan police chief Datuk Alzafny Ahmad described the increase as not significant and still under control, thanks to the continuous monitoring and action taken by the police and the Ministry of Education (MOE).

He added that police took a serious view of every report involving students and have drawn up several approaches together with the state's schools and the Education Department to safeguard the welfare and learning environment at schools.

"We take a serious view of violent cases, such as assault and bullying. We also constantly conduct monitoring based on information.

"From the daily crime reviews that I get, most of the crimes involve male students from secondary schools,” he told reporters after officiating the state-level Townhall Discussion on 'Pendidik Ejen Pencegahan Jenayah Buli’ (Educators the Agent of Prevention of Bullying Crime) here today. 

Alzafny said they will step up the visits of police school liaison officers to schools, with all district police chiefs instructed to review and monitor reports received regarding educational institutions.

According to him, their main focus is to emphasise awareness and education, as well as instilling noble values, character and faith to help students assess matters wisely.

He added that several schools in the state had been identified to undergo checks jointly with the state Education Department and the school authority, with the focus on hostel inspections, including conducting spot checks.

"This will be implemented immediately, and the schools are chosen based on their requests. I feel that none of the schools are trying to cover up any crimes just to protect their reputation or performance evaluation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Alzafny, during the town hall session, attributed the rise in bullying cases of late among students to the weak foundation of home education, peer influence and technology or social media, among others.

He said that police investigations found that most bullies were from families that were either overly strict, broken or overly indulgent, as well as from wealthy and influential families.

"Parents may be too strict at home or adopt unsuitable methods to teach their children. In addition, parents these days use gadgets to teach their children, giving their children handphones to calm them down and provide them with various forms of entertainment from an early age… as early as six months to a year.

 "So, whatever is taught begins from home. Perhaps, due to our own mistakes, we have exposed them to technologies and entertainment through gadgets, leaving them to spend so much time in front of a screen and no longer in social environments,” he said.

-- BERNAMA