Transparency International Malaysia: Parents’ failure to monitor kids among main causes of youth crime

KUCHING (Aug 22): A total of 16,566 youths aged 16 to 18 were involved and arrested in index crimes throughout Malaysia, including theft, murder, rape and armed robbery from 2018 to 2022, said Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M).

TI-M said this in a statement yesterday, quoting a research conducted by the Institute of Youth Research (IYRES) Malaysia Youth Data Bank System and cited by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Similarly, according to MACC statistics, civil servants in their 40s and below constituted 57.8 per cent out of 5,652 people arrested between 2007 and 2022 for corruption-related offences, it added.

TI-M president Dr Muhammad Mohan said these statistics are an indication that the decay of basic moral and ethical values among Malaysian youth is serious, and that parents are not setting a good example for such values.

Muhammad said this in response to the tragic death of two 13-year-old teenage friends, who were involved in the recent illegal motorcycle racing accident in Elmina Business Park in Sungai Buloh.

“This unfortunate incident underscores the failure of parents to monitor their children’s movement, habits and activities.

“We fully support the statement made by Sungai Buloh police chief Supt Mohd Hafiz Muhammad Nor, who called out to parents and guardians to be more responsible in monitoring their children, particularly minors,” he said.

According to Muhammad, the police chief also announced to charge the parents of the victims under Section 39 of the Road Transport Act 1987 and Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which are meant to ensure children are protected and not exposed to unnecessary danger.

“TI-M often highlights the nexus between the perceived integrity crisis among the youth as well as the basic moral and ethical value system in our society.

“Today, we see that this value system amongst the youth is diminishing,” he said.

As such, Muhammad urged all parents to devote more time to inculcate good moral and ethical values at home while their children are young and to monitor their progress as they grow, adding that parents should not expect school teachers or the universities alone to teach these values.

“More importantly, since moral values are ‘caught’ rather than ‘taught’, parents themselves need to be exemplary in upholding integrity and ethical standards, especially when the children are at an impressionable age.

“It would be too late to make such corrections when they reach adulthood, as proven by MACC and IYRES research statistics.

“Let us embrace the truth that not only ‘charity’, but also ‘integrity’ begins at home,” he added.