SHAH ALAM, July 14 — The government should consider adopting stricter measures to regulate social media use among children as part of efforts to prevent incidents of violence in schools.
State executive councillor for women's development and social welfare Anfaal Saari said that children under the age of 16 should not be allowed to have social media accounts, and enforcement of such measures should be strengthened to protect them from negative influences.
Preventive measures must be prioritised to ensure that children are not exposed to content or influences that could adversely affect their emotional development, behaviour, and safety.
"Preventive measures must be given priority to ensure that children are not exposed to content or influences that could adversely affect their emotional development, behaviour, and safety," she said.
Anfaal was speaking to the media after officiating the Young Women Entrepreneurs Digital Media Incentive Programme (Usahanita Digital) 2026 at the State Secretariat Building today.
She was commenting on the incident in which a Form Three female student was injured in a stabbing at a secondary school in Banting, Kuala Langat, last week.
Meanwhile, the councillor said the student is expected to be discharged from the hospital as early as tomorrow.
Doctors informed her of the expected discharge date when she visited the victim in the hospital on Thursday (July 10). The victim is reported to be in stable condition and is continuing her recovery.
"When I visited the victim on Thursday, the doctors informed me that she would require about a week before being discharged from the hospital, which is likely to be on Wednesday.
"We need to handle this case with compassion towards both the victim and the suspect, as they are both still students," Anfaal said.
She added that the state government will continue working with the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and the Selangor Education Department to strengthen preventive efforts through the Lindung Kasih Advocacy Programme.
The programme focuses on strengthening peer support initiatives to identify early signs of bullying, as well as students experiencing mental health issues, so that they can be referred promptly to school counsellors.
"We want to prevent such incidents rather than act only after a tragedy results in the loss of life or causes injury. That is why the advocacy programme will continue on an ongoing basis with all relevant agencies," Anfaal said.
In the incident last Monday (July 6), the victim reportedly sustained injuries to her lungs as well as approximately 16 stab wounds to various parts of her body before being rushed to the Banting Hospital for further treatment.
Following the incident, the 15-year-old female suspect was charged at the Telok Datok Magistrates' Court on Friday with the attempted murder of her schoolmate. However, no plea was recorded.
The court allowed the prosecution's application for the teenage girl to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak.
