PETALING JAYA: Eighteen delinquent children were put into a test programme more than four years ago.
Today, they have steered themselves to a lawful path and some have even made it to university.
Describing the Diversion pilot project as effective, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said all 18 children have successfully changed their lives, with some continuing their studies up to tertiary level, while others have found employment and are now independent.
“Twelve managed to find employment, five continued their studies or technical vocational training, one completed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, and one is studying engineering at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP),” she said.
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The project, launched in 2019 by the ministry, will be expanded nationwide in a few months.
Nancy shared the story of a boy from the Henry Gurney School (HGS) who was sent in by his own mother in order to separate him from his bad circle of friends.
The boy related how if he had continued to stay outside, he would have been lured into a cycle of crime.
As such, he accepted his mother’s decision to send him for juvenile detention, Nancy said.
“The reasoning here is very important because the mother did not want to cast him aside; it was more about saving him from going down a sordid path.
“Many of these kids are still interested in school, and we want them to be educated,” she added.
Nancy said that during her time as the minister in charge of law, another boy from HGS wrote a letter about his progress.
“He wrote about his time at HGS, and what he was doing at the time.
“He was in juvenile detention, but managed to complete his Form 5 and then enter university.
“So, what happens is that once they go further in life, they do realise their mistakes, and they learn how to control their emotions,” she added.
