Blanket curfew not the solution

Yeoh: Move to check kids’ involvement in illicit activities can be counter-productive

A suggestion to impose a curfew on youths to prevent them from taking part in illicit activities is seen as “counter-productive” in solving the growing drug abuse problem among teenagers, says Hannah Yeoh.

The Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister said drug or substance abuse could also happen in their homes.

“Having a curfew is like disciplining all your kids the same way when only one misbehaves,” she said.

Yeoh said that Malaysia’s compulsory education stopped at the age of 12, and some teenagers have to work.

“Implementing a blanket curfew on every single teen doesn’t make sense,” she said.

Yeoh said there were sufficient laws to deal with drug abuse.

“If they can’t enforce that successfully, imposing a curfew will just be the same,” she added.

Yeoh said it was not only youths who were “up to no good” at night.

“I have encountered people of all ages causing problems all through the day,” she said.

Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the government was “seriously considering” imposing a curfew for those under the age of 18 as a way to curb social problems, particularly drug abuse.

This was among matters raised and agreed upon at the Cabinet Committee on Eradicating Drugs meeting chaired by her.

National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Harry Tan was also not in favour of having a curfew for those under the age of 18.

He said the proposal was just a “cosmetic solution” that would not tackle the root cause of the problem.

“Our lifestyles have changed over the years. “Before, at least one parent would be at home to look after the kids.

“Now, both parents work,” he said, adding that the children were left to fend for themselves and they could pick up bad habits from their peers.

Tan said sending children to after-school activities was a good idea.

Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said having a curfew was not an infringement of human rights if it served “a greater good”.

Although she acknowledged that Malaysia’s problems and situation were different from Iceland, she said the concepts applied there could be used on our home soil.

“We think some actions need to be taken rather than not doing anything at all as it may lead to a more serious social problem and drastic liability,” she said.