Sex education needs whole-of-government push, not just Health Ministry's duty, says minister

KOTA BARU, April 26 — Addressing issues related to reproductive health education and sexual literacy, particularly among the youth, requires a comprehensive approach involving multiple ministries and agencies, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He stressed that the effort was not solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MoH) but required the mobilisation of the entire government through a whole-of-government approach.
'This is not just the MoH's responsibility, but also that of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
'MoH will adopt a whole-of-government approach to ensure that education on reproductive health and comprehensive awareness is implemented in an integrated manner,' he told reporters after attending the Jom Sihat @ Kota Lama Mini Carnival here yesterday.
Dzulkefly also stressed that strong support from various parties was crucial to ensure that the implementation of this agenda was not limited to Kelantan but extended nationwide.
'I am not saying that the MoH will be the only agency in charge. Instead, we want this issue to be addressed collectively.
'The MoH is ready to mobilise its resources and experts in the field of reproductive health education,' he said.
He said this when asked to comment on a media report on April 9, in which Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat stated that the number of rape and incest cases in Kelantan had increased, but investigations showed that many were cases of consensual sex.
Mohd Yusoff revealed that 252 cases were reported in 2024, compared to 206 cases in 2023, reflecting an increase of 22.3 per cent.
He added that what was more worrying was that some of those involved were as young as 10 years old.
Dzulkefly said that the key to the successful implementation of this initiative was equipping the community with knowledge and awareness so they could enhance their self-control and strengthen their moral values.
Meanwhile, he said that the MoH provided assistance to victims of sexual crimes under 18 through the One Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC), which was available at every hospital nationwide.
He said that the OSCC was established to provide comprehensive services to victims of abuse and rape. — Bernama

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