Kuching: Media organisations and online content publishers must be guided by clear rules when reporting school violence, particularly when handling footage and identifying details involving minors, says Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen.
Yii said he had spoken to Deputy Minister of Communications, Teo Nie Ching and urged the Malaysian Media Council to take a strong stand on responsible reporting following the recent incident at an international school in Kuching, where a teacher was injured by a 16-year-old student.
He said clear reporting guidelines were needed to ensure incidents involving children and teenagers were handled with sensitivity while protecting their privacy and well-being.
Yii also called on media organisations, online news portals and content channel administrators to consider the potential impact of their coverage, rather than prioritising clicks, views and engagement.
“Protecting our children is a shared duty of government, platforms, schools, parents, the media and everyone of us who scrolls, comments and shares.
“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.
Yii urged everyone to stop spreading violent content and instead help create a digital environment where young people feel safe, seen and supported.
He added efforts to protect young people must extend beyond schools and into the digital spaces where they interact, communicate and develop relationships.
