Do the right thing to protect all children
SNAKES alive! Social media is currently abuzz with comments on the “motivational” outdoor camp for schoolgirls who were asked to cross a body of water that had snakes put in it. The outcry and protests from the public, especially parents, show the anger and disdain that the video has evoked. We then heard that the officers who conducted the camp were “suspended”, a light sentence for an irresponsible act!
The Child Protection Act has a section on child endangerment such as the act depicted in the video and the responsible ministry should take appropriate exemplary steps to prevent any recurrence. The psychological trauma inflicted on these girls may never be erased.
The phobia that may have been evoked may lead to lifelong scars. The possible physical injury from trying to climb to safety or being bitten by snakes that size could never have been anticipated.
The diseases that could be transmitted from the murky water and the reptiles were oblivious to the organisers.
Who are to be blamed for this? Should such ignorance be overlooked? The organisers are obviously at the centre of it all. Being a government agency makes it even worse and shows the calibre of the officers in such places. The school principal and teachers who allowed this programme in the first place should be taken to task for not checking the content.
Are we to accept this behaviour as a “rite of passage” ordeal that our young girls are expected to go through? What school of child and developmental psychology did the organisers follow to conduct this course? There are many questions and there will never be any answer from the authorities, the school nor the organisers. Should we then just sweep this under the proverbial carpet once again after all the dust has settled?
All adults who advocate for children who cannot speak for themselves should protest as shown in social media.
The responsible authorities should take cognizance of these protests and proceed with further legal, punitive and exemplary action to ensure that these and other children are protected. That is after all what they are there for, so please do the right thing for the sake of all children! DATUK DR ZULKIFLI ISMAIL For the Malaysian Paediatric Association Kuala Lumpur