KUALA LUMPUR: The country’s main parent-teacher group has welcomed the move by police to increase presence in schools, describing it as a timely measure.
National Parent-Teacher Association president Datuk Professor Dr Mohamad Ali Hasan said criminal cases and disciplinary issues among teenagers and in schools were on the rise, so an increased police presence was needed.
Previously, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that police would strengthen their presence in schools as part of efforts to curb juvenile crime.
However, he said he believed the role of police liaison officers needed an overhaul.
“Review the duties and responsibilities of school liaison officers to be more effective, including the frequency of reviews, attendance at PIBG, alumni, school administration, and District Education Office meetings,” Ali said.
He also suggested that other uniformed teams, such as the fire department and military, could also be involved in school attendance, joint meetings, and patrols, similar to police liaison officers.
Career talks, safety-related exhibitions, and visits, such as to prisons, should also be held, he said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Mara’s Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said schools need to develop a “profiling” of students who have emotional issues, require counselling, and those suspected of forming relationships in school.
He said teachers and students also need to be trained to have a safety mindset and basic public intelligence techniques to detect emotional changes in behaviour and threats occurring in school.
“Basic perimeter control can also be done before students enter by allowing surprise inspections and periodic checks in school areas that are likely to be storage places for sharp or dangerous weapons,” said Nirwandy, a fellow at the university’s Centre for Media and Information Warfare Studies.
There are growing concerns over student safety following a gang rape case in a school in Melaka and the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old Bandar Utama student by her 14-year-old schoolmate on Tuesday.
Credit: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/10/1298435/national-pta-group-backs-increased-police-presence-schools
