It’s unanimous – sex education, although taboo, is vital

KUALA LUMPUR: “Sex education” are two words many Malaysians are almost too afraid to say out loud.

But that was not the case at the Jenayah Seksual Kanak-Kanak: Hentikan!! (Child Sexual Crimes: Stop It!!) seminar yesterday. Participants from all levels of society openly called for comprehensive sex education across the country.

They were heard.

“There’s a need to educate our children because they’re now able to get their answers from the Internet,” said Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.

“In those days, answers were from parents and teachers, but some subjects – like your body – were taboo to talk about,” said the Women, Family and Community Development Minister.

“Now, children just go straight to Mr Google; all the more reason for my ministry and I to feel that we must teach our children as early as possible – about bad touch and good touch. I think it should be in our education system.”

During a presentation, the ministry’s Deputy Secretary-General (Operations) Dr Waitchalla R.R.V. Suppiah said it was “ridiculous” that Malaysians could not even talk to their children about their private parts using the proper terms.

“I heard that some parents use terms like bunga and batang. Bunga mana ini (what kind of flower is this)?” she asked to laughter from the audience. “If we, as adults, are embarrassed about talking about it, what more children?”

While there was no specific subject for sex education at the moment, Moral Studies, Biology and Islamic Studies all touched on the matter, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan.

“The ministry is, however, open to suggestions and ideas to further strengthen the syllabus and teaching methodology if the need arises,” he added.

Rohani’s support for sex education follows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s call for parents to educate their children about “appropriate and inappropriate” touches, adding that children should be taught that their bodies belonged to them and them alone.

Rohani did, however, acknowledge the taboo that accompanied the words “sex education” hindered attempts at educating children and their families.

“Raising awareness and helping parents realise sex education are some of the hurdles we have to cross,” she said.

“It’s part of our culture to be more reserved when it comes to talking about sex,” said participant and mother-of-four Mariammah Subramaniam. “But children are our treasure and we have to protect them, even if it means you have to teach them about these things.”

Founder of NGO Protect and Save The Children Madeleine Yong said teachers also needed to be trained in order for sex education to work.

“Fear-based education by untrained teachers will just cause children to turn to the Internet for information,” she said.

“That’s why we need trained teachers to talk about the subject objectively, and not let it be coloured by their personal feelings.”