THE police’s confirmation that the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah religious school was arson involving teenagers shocked the nation. It also raised questions when Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh revealed that the suspects arrested were youths aged between 11 and 18.
The fact that the suspects had allegedly planned the crime, including bringing two gas cylinders from the ground floor to the third floor of the building, baffled us.
Whatever the reasons, what the suspects allegedly did was unacceptable because it claimed the lives of 21 students and two teachers.
I urge all parties to take this incident seriously as it is a symptom of serious defects in our society. We need to get out of our comfort zone and discard the denial syndrome. Violence among teenagers is alarming and should be a matter of serious concern to the entire nation.
It is a societal issue that requires the support from all parties, especially the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and all levels of society.
The police statement which said the suspects were school dropouts and involved in drugs shows how serious the problem is. Teenagers should be in school dormitory or home in the early hours, instead of engaging in negative activities.
Where are their parents? Do they know where their children are at all times? I hope action can be taken against parents who let their children out and be involved in crime, as provided for under the Child Act (Amendment) 2016 or the Penal Code.
Most underage offenders commit crimes due to negative peer influence, lack of parental guidance, bad influence from the Internet and gangsterism. More frighteningly, most violent acts are being committed by teens. Almost every day, there are violent cases committed at home, school or elsewhere. This culture must be stopped.
The government, along with other stakeholders, must find the reasons why juveniles are keen to resort to violence as a means to address their grievances.
Cases such as truancy, stealing and fights that lead to violence and injuries are unacceptable, although the agencies involved claim that such cases are not serious at our schools.
The government and stakeholders should focus on the mental health aspect as it may be one of the major causes of violence.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2015 shows that about 4.2 million Malaysians aged 16 and above, or 29.2 per cent of the population, suffer from various mental health problems.
More alarmingly, they involve students because the ratio has risen from one in every 10 in 2011 to one in five last year. Experts say anxiety and depression are the major causes of mental health problems among students.
In this regard, parents and teachers should encourage young ones to get medical check-ups at hospital to ensure that they are free of mental health problems, which are expected to be the second largest health problem in Malaysia after heart disease in 2020.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
Vice-chairman, Malaysia Crime
Prevention Foundation