JOHOR BARU: Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin has not ruled out a possibility of returning to the political arena, although he has not explicitly indicated any immediate intentions to do so.
He acknowledged there are avenues through which he could still contribute to the nation, citing his role as the state youth advisor and his podcast as platforms where he can make a meaningful impact.
However, he remained non-committal when directly asked about a return to politics.
"Even my weekly podcast 'Keluar Sekejap' means 'out for a while', which, I would say fits my political career…at the time being," he said.
Khairy, or KJ as he is popularly known, participated in the 2023 Johor Women's League's (Jewel) Butterfly Walk here today which was held in conjunction with the United Nations' declaration that Nov 18 is the "World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence".
Johor Baru City Council mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Datuk Osman flagged-off about 300 participants at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre in Hutan Bandar Johor Baru (TMIYC), here, today.
Khairy said the Jewel Butterfly Walk was aimed at creating awareness and to highlight the urgency of combatting child sexual abuse and crimes against children.
"The event is aimed at creating awareness on various forms of abuse such as sexual violence, grooming and the pressing need for preventive measures.
"As a father of three boys, I understand the prevailing problem of child abuse, with a majority of these crimes occurring at the hands of adults known to the victims, including family members, neighbours or family friends," he said.
Speaking from his personal experience as a parent, he said regular discussions with his own children -three boys with the youngest aged eight, about appropriate behaviour, verbal and non-verbal communication and establishing boundaries were crucial.
He said children face difficulties in reporting such incidents due to the intimidating nature of the reporting mechanisms and emotional trauma associated with disclosing such experiences.
He stressed there was a need to educate both children and adults, especially children about their rights, appropriate boundaries, and how to distinguish between acceptable and inappropriate behaviours.
He added it was equally important that adults were educated to recognise signs indicating a child might be facing problems.
"The importance of enabling children to understand what behaviour is appropriate, and awareness should be fostered from young," he added.
Addressing the challenges of reporting such crimes, he said, the reporting process should be simplified, to ensure ease and comfort for minors when providing statements, in the present of a trusted adult.