‘Stop blame game over teenage pregnancy’
BINTULU: Having a positive and supportive attitude is instrumental in dealing with social issues, especially teenage pregnancy.
In this respect, Minister in Chief Minister’s Office ( Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip said the ‘ blame game’ must be avoided as it would only make the situation worse.
“Our role now is to prevent and reduce the (number of) cases, not to judge the victims and their families,” he stressed.
Talib, who is the Jepak assemblyman, said this at the closing of the One Stop Teenage Pregnancy Committee (OSTPC) and the division-level roadshow on social laws, at a hotel here yesterday.
Talib said in handling teenage pregnancy cases, one must not put the blame on the teenagers.
“The majority of (teenage pregnancy) cases are accidental. As much as we should not blame the teenagers, we should not blame their parents as well; what we can do is to fi nd ways to prevent and reduce (the number of cases), as well as to help the victims.”
Talib also pointed out that although the number of cases involving teenage pregnancy in Sarawak – specifically this division – is still under control, the people must also be more sensitive, responsive and responsible to the issue, instead of being judgemental about it.
“In our society, however, if someone is unmarried and pregnant, they would be cursed. We are supposed to sympathise with the victims; we should become a supportive community,” Talib added.
Meanwhile Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat, who is also OSTPC Bintulu chairman, described social problems as ‘a time bomb that could explode any time’.
“If there’s no early preventive measure taken, it would be costly for the government to tackle (the problems) in terms of recovery costs, treatment costs as well as legal action,” he said.
In this regard, Jack expressed his hope that the roadshow would provide a positive impact to the community, especially the grassroots.