Restricting activities outside the home
Actions such as curfews could be considered to put a stop to undesirable activities among youth.
SHOCK waves were created when an announcement that the Government is “seriously considering” imposing a curfew for those under the age of 18 as a way to curb social problems, particularly drug abuse among young people.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Malaysia wants to emulate Iceland, which changed the law in 2002 to introduce something similar and has since recorded a decrease in the incidence of teenagers drinking, smoking and taking drugs.
Last September, the City of Reykjavík announced that winter curfew hours for young people are now in effect.
A curfew is also practised in the United States.
There, parents can be fined, charged or ordered to take parenting classes for willingly, or through insufficient control or supervision, permitting the child to violate the curfew.
The curfew however, is just one of the steps Iceland took to stop its minors from taking part in such activities.
The City of Reykjavik also pays all parents 50,000 Icelandic Krona (RM1,715) per child per year to attend after-school programmes.
Another key element involves parents spending much more time with their kids.
US psychologist Harvey Milkman, who was Iceland’s senior policy adviser, said after-school activities are a major part of the nation’s plan that has contributed to the decline of substance abuse and other social problems among Icelandic youth.
“After-school activities are probably the most significant thing, because youth have things to do that are healthy and worthwhile,” he said in a Skype interview in January.January
Youth are bored and social activities that are productive, exciting and empowering can be introduced and sustained until the problem subsides.
Noor Azimah
Back on home soil, experts agree. Psychologist and R.E.A.L. Education Group chief executive officer Dr Goh Chee Leong says that teenagers often take part in unhealthy activities because they are bored, want companionship and need to find a channel for self-expression and to explore their identity.
There are many healthy alternatives to serve these psychological needs, he explains.
“Let’s build more sports facilities in every neighbourhood so that youths can play football and basketball and do rock climbing within walking distance from their homes.
“Let’s start tech centres in every neighborhood that enable youths to learn how to code, programming skills, develop apps, develop skills in robotics.”
Dr Goh adds that money and being accepted by their peers are one of the motivators for youths to join gangs.
He recommends keeping the children in other activities that can help them reach the same end goals.
“Let’s start youth entrepreneurship initiatives that help youths develop ideas for business, and actually start their own business; I think if a teenager finds a way to make RM3,000 to RM4,000 a month from their own business, they will not be wasting time on gang activities.
“Start youth performing arts centres for them to learn drama, or learn videography so that they can start their own youtube channels, or learn to play in a rock band,” he adds.
Although there could be potential short-term benefits to having a curfew, Dr Goh says a longer term and more meaningful solution should be found.
“If we are concerned about youths engaging in unsafe and unhealthy activities, the real long-term solution is to identify healthy alternatives that will serve as positive outlets for their energy, passion and expression,” he explains.
Dr Goh also says that if the government does go ahead and enacts a curfew law, parents will need to spend more time with their children.
“Ultimately if we are telling our teenagers they need to stay home at night, parents need to spend more time with their children at home," he adds. National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Harry Tan says having after-school activities for nurtors is a good solution. He adds that after school activities will make the children physicality tired and keep them from getting involved in illicit activities late at night. "We need to provide the youths with good fun so that they do not get involved in not good fun like substance abuse," he explains. However, he adds, the onus should not be on teachers to conduct the activities. Trained professionals should be conducting activities such as sports, he adds. Teachers, he adds, need to be freed from unnecessary a dministra-
tive work first so that they can conduct after school activities if needed.
Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim says simple and inexpensive activities such as sports and skills-based can be conducted as a “diversion”.
“Youth are bored and social activities that are productive, exciting and empowering can be introduced and sustained until the problem subsides,” she adds.
Parents, she says, have an important role to play and they should exhibit love, compassion and trust towards their children and their peers.
“If homes are welcoming, comfortable and clean, where siblings live in a loving family environment, there is little reason why youth should shun such safe and secure conditions.”
Noor Azimah believes the root cause of the problem is hobbies, interests and culture were not given importance in the teenagers’ lives.
“Youth need an outlet to express themselves. so substance abuse and ‘rempitism’ appears to fit that bill,” she adds.
She also says that she does not believe the curfew is a violation of human rights “if it is for the greater good.”
The UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency have criticised curfew laws, called “status offences”, on the grounds that they “stigmatise, victimise, and criminalise young people”, and that “legislation should be enacted to ensure that any conduct not considered an offence or not penalised if committed by an adult is not considered an offence and not penalised if committed by a young person”.
However, not all studies agree with the conclusion that youth curfew laws actually reduce crime, and many studies find no benefit or sometimes even the opposite.
For example, one 2016 systematic review of 12 studies on the matter found that the effect on crime is close to zero, and can perhaps even backfire somewhat.