KUALA LUMPUR — The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has called on the government to urgently implement a formal diversion policy for children in conflict with the law, working in coordination with the police, welfare services, schools and the judiciary.
The call follows a recent incident involving a 14-year-old student who was remanded for two days after allegedly punching and threatening a teacher who reprimanded him for skipping a physical education class.
While expressing solidarity with the teacher and stressing that violence in any form is unacceptable, Suhakam Children’s Commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said the case highlights the urgent need to uphold the dignity, rights, and rehabilitative potential of child offenders, as enshrined in the Child Act 2001 and international treaties to which Malaysia is party.
“A diversion mechanism enables children accused of minor or non-violent offences to be channelled away from the criminal justice system into community-based interventions focused on education, counselling and behavioural support,” she said in a statement today.
Farah explained that such an approach does not equate to a lack of accountability, but represents a shift towards restorative and rehabilitative justice — a model proven to be more effective and humane for children.
It also helps address underlying issues such as trauma, neglect or mental health concerns, while reducing the risk of criminalisation and long-term stigma.
She said the incident should prompt broader reflection on systemic challenges, particularly whether schools have sufficient preventive and positive behavioural support mechanisms in place.
“Suhakam therefore urges the Ministry of Education, school leadership, and relevant agencies to strengthen holistic and preventive systems that support the well-being of both students and educators,” she said.
Farah also reminded the media of their obligations under Section 15 of the Child Act 2001, which prohibits the publication of identifying information about children involved in criminal or custodial proceedings — a protection intended to shield minors from public condemnation.
According to media reports, the student pleaded guilty at the Magistrates’ Court on July 30 to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt to his teacher.
The court has fixed September 11 for the submission of a social report from the Social Welfare Department before sentencing.
A video of the incident, which took place at a secondary school in Kuala Lumpur on July 28, had earlier gone viral on social media. — August 1, 2025