Jangan biarkan keganasan jadi budaya, kata Lee

Pengerusi Ikatan Lee Lam Thye has warned that violent incidents, such as students being attacked and pushed around at school, should not be allowed to become an accepted part of Malaysian society. Kuala Lumpur: A grassroots effort involving all segments of society is needed urgently to prevent aggressive behavior and physical violence from becoming common in communities following recent school and community incidents.

Lee Lam Thye, president of the Community Safety Association (Ikatan), said that if violent incidents like students being attacked and pushed around at school are not addressed, society risks becoming more tolerant of violent behavior, treating it as an acceptable means to resolve conflicts. "Violence cannot be allowed to become a culture in Malaysian society.

We cannot wait until it takes root before taking action," he said in a statement. He added that schools need to strengthen early warning and intervention mechanisms, particularly by equipping teachers, counselors, and administrators with the ability to identify early signs such as aggressive behavior, threats, and bullying before the situation worsens and leads to tragedy.

Parents also have an important role to play in using the digital space, in addition to teaching children about cyberbullying, offensive content, and online abuse through social media, which significantly contributes to the tendency of the younger generation to view aggressive behavior as normal. He emphasized that in addition to prevention measures and emotional well-being programs, legal enforcement action must remain firm when criminal offenses occur.

"Violence, especially involving firearms, cannot be taken lightly as mere teenage rebellion or a simple discipline issue. If a criminal offense occurs, the appropriate action must be taken in accordance with the law. However, punishment alone will not solve the problem. We need a comprehensive approach from all segments of society to build a culture of mutual respect, self-control, empathy, and safe conflict resolution," he said.

Lee also urged everyone to handle violence from the early stage, implement systematic prevention measures, and reject violence collectively to ensure Malaysia remains a society that prioritizes dialogue over aggressive actions.