KUCHING, Oct 22 — Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen has called for stronger online safety regulations, faster action against violent content and improved mental health support following an incident at an international school in Kuching that left a teacher injured.
The incident, involving a 16-year-old student, should not be viewed solely as a school security issue, Yii said, warning that harmful online content, cyberbullying and toxic digital communities could also contribute to youth violence.
While welcoming the teacher’s stable condition and commending the swift response by teachers, students and police, Yii said preventive measures must go beyond physical security to address the influences children encounter online.
“Guards, fences and bag checks have their place, but they cannot reach what is happening on our children’s screens,” he said.
Yii said violent content, online harassment and relentless cruelty on social media could affect young people’s emotional well-being and behaviour. He stressed, however, that youth violence has multiple contributing factors, including family circumstances, mental health, peer relationships, bullying and a sense of belonging.
Rising concern over student violence
Yii said the Kuching incident came amid growing concerns over violent incidents involving students since the fatal stabbing of a student in Bandar Utama in October 2025.
He said several other cases had reportedly been prevented before anyone was injured, thanks to the vigilance of teachers, parents and fellow students.
“These near-misses rarely reach the public, but they show that the problem is wider and deeper than the reported cases suggest,” he said, describing the incidents as a troubling pattern rather than isolated cases.
Calls for stronger online gaming regulations
Yii said he had consistently advocated a safer online environment for children since early 2025 and had raised the issue again during the current parliamentary sitting.
On Oct 19, two days before the Kuching incident, he asked the Communications Minister whether social media age restrictions would be extended to online gaming platforms frequently used by children and teenagers.
In its response, the Ministry said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF) were studying the risks associated with online gaming and the appropriate regulatory measures.
The review covers child safety, user interactions, game features, content and safeguards provided by service operators. MCMC is also examining international practices, while CMCF is consulting stakeholders on a proposed Gaming Sub-Code.
Yii welcomed the initiatives but urged the authorities to move faster, saying children were already spending significant time in these digital spaces.
Citing Australia’s restrictions on social media accounts for children under 16, he said age limits alone were insufficient because children could still access platforms and encounter harmful material.
He called for platforms to be placed under a stronger duty of care, including requirements to design safer services, respond quickly to livestreamed violence and prevent algorithms from amplifying harmful content.
Warns against online harassment and public shaming
Yii also expressed concern over the online hostility directed at the student involved in the Kuching incident.
He said there were indications that the teenager had faced online cruelty before the incident, although the circumstances and possible contributing factors would need to be established through proper investigation.
“Nothing excuses violence, and the police must be allowed to complete their investigation,” he said.
However, he warned that persistent online harassment could deepen feelings of isolation and despair among vulnerable young people, potentially increasing the risk of harm to themselves or others.
Yii stressed that the student was a minor whose identity should be protected and who should be dealt with through proper legal and rehabilitative processes rather than subjected to online mob attacks.
He also called for stronger school-based mental health support, counselling and early intervention to identify warning signs before situations escalate.
Media urged to stop spreading violent footage
Yii appealed to the public and media organisations to stop circulating videos, images, notes and other details relating to the incident.
He said research on school violence had identified a possible contagion or copycat effect, in which extensive publicity surrounding an attack could influence other vulnerable individuals.
Repeatedly sharing violent footage, he warned, could give perpetrators unwanted notoriety and expose other young people to material that might encourage imitation.
Referring to the spread of a note linked to the Bandar Utama case, Yii said every additional share could increase the risks to children.
He urged news organisations to focus on verified facts, support services and prevention measures rather than details of the perpetrator or the methods used.
MCMC urged to act faster against re-uploads
Yii acknowledged MCMC’s efforts to remove a livestream of the Kuching incident from Facebook but said the footage had already been downloaded, re-uploaded and circulated through numerous accounts and messaging groups.
He called on the commission to work more proactively with digital platforms to detect and block re-uploads of violent footage, rather than relying primarily on complaints after the material had spread.
He also proposed stronger consequences for platforms that fail to respond promptly to content showing violence involving children, alongside a rapid-response protocol for school-related incidents.
Such measures, he said, would help contain harmful material during the critical first hours after an incident.
Yii further urged online news portals, social media page administrators and content channel operators to remove violent footage and refrain from reposting it for clicks and views.
He said publishers should prioritise public safety over audience engagement, warning that graphic or sensationalised material could be harmful to vulnerable young people.
Seeks cooperation from government and media bodies
Yii said he had discussed the matter with Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching and had urged the Malaysian Media Council to take a firm position on responsible reporting.
He called for clear guidelines governing the publication of footage, notes and identifying details in cases involving school violence.
Yii said preventing youth violence required coordinated action by the government, digital platforms, schools, parents, the media and the public.
He urged Malaysians to stop amplifying violent content and instead help create a digital environment where young people feel safe, supported and able to seek help.
“Let us choose not to amplify violence. Instead, let us build a digital space where our young people feel safe, seen and supported,” he said.
–Minutes MY
