{
  "id": 15364221,
  "title": "Violence must never become a culture in Malaysia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/violence-must-never-become-a-culture-in-malaysia",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T05:50:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters/2026/10/1558165/violence-must-never-become-culture-malaysia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent violence incidents, including attacks on students in schools and violent crimes in the community, have alarmed Malaysians. The danger looms that society might become numb to violence and view aggression as a legitimate means to resolve disputes. It is vital that violence does not become a cultural norm in Malaysia. Action cannot wait until violence becomes deeply entrenched. Prevention must commence now and involve the government, schools, families, communities, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, and the media. Education systems must bolster programs focusing on emotional well-being, support, discipline, empathy, respect, conflict resolution, and peaceful communication. Students need to comprehend that anger, provocation, or disagreement cannot justify resorting to violence. Simultaneously, schools require enhanced early-warning and intervention systems. Teachers, counselors, and administrators must be trained to recognize aggressive behavior, threats, bullying, and other red flags, intervening before a situation spirals out of control. Parents play a crucial role as well. Children learn from their environment; they must be taught that true strength lies in self-control, respect, and peaceful conflict resolution. Attention must also be given to social media. Exposure to violent content, online threats, humiliation, and cyberbullying can normalize aggressive behavior. Digital responsibility and online civility must be part of our education efforts. While prevention is critical, enforcement must remain stringent. Violence, particularly involving weapons, should not be dismissed as youthful indiscretion or an ordinary disciplinary issue. Where criminal offenses occur, appropriate legal action must be taken. However, punishment alone will not resolve the issue. A comprehensive societal approach is needed to foster a culture of respect, restraint, empathy, and peaceful conflict resolution. We cannot afford to wait for another tragedy before taking action. Early confrontation, systematic prevention, and collective rejection of violence are imperative. Malaysia must remain a society where respect outweighs anger, dialogue surpasses aggression, and every human life is valued and safeguarded.",
  "summary": "LETTERS: The recent incidents of violence, including cases involving students being attacked and stabbed in schools, as well as violent crime incidents in the wider community, are a matter of grave concern to all Malaysians.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}