28/05/2026

THURSDAY | MAY 28, 2026

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‘Protect students from sexual abuse’

o Many schools struggle with culture of silence, fear and uncertainty when dealing with misconduct allegations: Parent action group chief

that many victims may be too afraid to come forward due to fear, shame, intimidation or concern that they may not be believed.” Lee said such cases must never be treated merely as internal disciplinary matters, and called for all allegations to be investigated professionally, independently and transparently. He proposed several urgent measures, including a strict zero tolerance policy against sexual misconduct in schools, stricter background screening for educators and safe, confidential reporting channels for students. He also stressed the need for regular child protection training for teachers and greater awareness among students about personal safety and reporting inappropriate behaviour. He called for stronger cooperation between parents and schools, firm legal action against offenders as well as adequate counselling and psychosocial support for victims.

chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye described sexual misconduct involving teachers and students as “deeply alarming” and said such incidents risk eroding public trust in the education system. “Although the vast majority of educators are dedicated and ethical professionals, the actions of a small number of teachers who exploit students not only tarnish the teaching profession but also destroy the trust placed by parents and society in our educational institutions. “When a teacher commits sexual harassment, sexual exploitation or any inappropriate sexual behaviour against a student, it is a betrayal of trust and a form of abuse that can leave long-lasting psychological trauma.” He said victims could suffer emotional distress, depression, anxiety, academic difficulties and long-term psychological harm that may continue into adulthood. “What is even more concerning is

safeguarding audits to prevent abuse before it escalates. “Early warning signs such as favouritism, excessive private communication or attempts to isolate students must be taken seriously before they escalate into abuse.” Noor Azimah also emphasised the importance of educating students about inappropriate behaviour, even when it involves authority figures such as teachers. “Equally important is ensuring that students know where to seek help safely and confidentially.” She said victims should never be blamed, isolated or pressured into silence, while parents must be assured that safeguarding is treated as a fundamental responsibility rather than a public relations exercise. “Trust is rebuilt when institutions demonstrate that protecting children comes before protecting reputations.” Alliance for a Safe Community

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

with abuse allegations. “Students may fear not being believed, while peers or staff may hesitate to report suspicious behaviour involving a respected authority figure.” Noor Azimah said many schools also lack specialised safeguarding officers, trauma-informed reporting procedures and regular training for teachers and students to identify grooming behaviour. “Policies tend to become reactive after incidents occur rather than preventive.” She said schools must strengthen monitoring systems, enforce clear professional boundary guidelines, introduce mandatory reporting obligations and conduct regular

PETALING JAYA: Schools are meant to be safe spaces in which children learn, grow and prepare for the future, but a growing number of sexual harassment and misconduct cases involving teachers and students have shattered that sense of security. The incidents have left victims traumatised and parents questioning whether schools are doing enough to protect children. Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said many schools still struggle with a culture of silence, fear and uncertainty when dealing

Prices of petrol and diesel reduced KUALA LUMPUR: The retail prices of RON95 and RON97 petrol have been reduced by 15 sen and 20 sen per litre respectively, while the price of diesel in Peninsular Malaysia has been reduced by 10 sen per litre for the period May 28 to June 3. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced in a statement yesterday that the retail price of RON95 petrol has been reduced to RM3.92 per litre from RM4.07, RON97 to RM4.65 from RM4.85, while diesel in Peninsular Malaysia has been reduced to RM4.87 from RM4.97. According to the ministry, in line with the Automatic Price Mechanism (APM) formula, the retail prices of petrol and diesel for the week in question were reduced following the decline in the average international market price in the previous week. “However, this decline does not indicate that the pressure on the global petroleum market has subsided as market uncertainty following the conflict in the Middle East that has lasted for more than 12 weeks still persists. In addition, the damage to oil production and refining facilities in the Middle East will require a long period of time to recover,” the statement said. MOF said the Madani government continues to maintain the price of subsidised petroleum products in a targeted manner to preserve the livelihood of the people and the operations of certain sectors in the uncertain global market conditions. The subsidised prices maintained are RON95 through Budi95 at RM1.99 per litre, diesel in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan (RM2.15), while for the Subsidised Petrol Control System and the Subsidised Diesel Control System at RM2.05 and RM2.15 per litre respectively. MOF said the government, through Budi95, continues to maintain the subsidised RON95 price for more than 14 million eligible recipients, with more than 90% of the total fuel consumption in the country involving subsidy recipients. “At the current unsubsidised RON95 price of RM3.92 per litre, the consumption of 200 litres will cost RM784. This means that the Madani government will bear RM386 for each recipient who uses the full Budi95 entitlement. Through the monthly eligibility ceiling of up to 200 litres, Budi95 recipients will only pay up to RM398 per month for the full use of the entitlement.” The government calls on the people to practise fuel consumption prudently through more efficient travel planning and reducing unnecessary travel. – Bernama

Better financial awareness needed among middle-income earners KUALA LUMPUR: Middle-income borrowers are increasingly turning to credit cards, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) facilities and personal financing. snowball, particularly when only minimum repayments are made on credit cards. Ng said many consumers underestimate how quickly small unsecured debts could snowball, particularly when only minimum repayments are made on credit cards. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ /HESUN

borrowing in the country. Ng said borrowers within the RM5,000 RM10,000 and RM10,000-RM20,000 income brackets recorded among the highest debt service ratios in cases handled by the firm. He said the firm receives 30 to 40 debt consolidation enquiries daily, with many borrowers only realising how quickly interest, minimum repayments and penalties could accumulate once debts became difficult to manage. He added that many clients now have less than 10% of their salaries remaining after servicing debts. Ng said official indicators such as Malaysia’s household debt-to-GDP ratio may not fully capture what he described as a growing “pre default” layer, meaning that borrowers are technically still paying but surviving only through minimum repayments and refinancing. He said some borrowers resort to family borrowings, EPF withdrawals and non-bank financing to remain afloat financially. Ng said many consumers underestimate how quickly small unsecured debts could

“A RM5,000 credit card balance can eventually grow into much larger debt over time if borrowers continue relying on minimum payments while still spending on the cards.” The consultancy also said BNPL facilities, widely perceived by consumers as merely a payment option, are increasingly influencing lending assessments by banks. It said banks are becoming more cautious towards borrowers with multiple BNPL commitments, even when the outstanding amounts are relatively small, as such facilities may indicate stretched cash flow management, Bernama reported. Among others, Ng proposed that there should be mandatory short financial literacy modules for consumers applying for credit cards, personal loans and BNPL facilities. “I believe this is important before loans are approved to ensure that borrowers fully understand effective interest rates, repayment obligations, penalties and long-term debt risks before taking on financing commitments.”

Financial consultancy firm Bluebricks Holding Sdn Bhd said observations from debt restructuring and financing consultation cases show that financial strain is no longer concentrated among low-income households. Its managing director Karl Ng said many borrowers earning between RM5,000 and RM20,000 a month are struggling with high debt servicing commitments, leaving them financially vulnerable to unexpected shocks such as medical emergencies, job loss or vehicle repairs. “What we are seeing is not necessarily an income problem but a leverage problem. Many people earn enough to qualify for multiple credit facilities but they do not have enough buffer when unexpected expenses arise.” According to Bank Negara Malaysia, household debt remained elevated at 84.8% of GDP, or RM1.67 trillion, as of end-2025, underscoring the scale of consumer