KUCHING, Oct 22: Kuching South Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng has urged the public to stop sharing footage of a reported school attack, warning that revealing the identities of minors involved in legal or criminal proceedings is an offence under the Child Act 2001
In a press statement following his visit to Tunku Putra-HELP School, where the incident reportedly occurred, Wee also stressed the importance of safeguarding students’ mental health and emotional wellbeing, calling for continued cooperation among schools, parents and qualified professionals to provide counselling and timely support
“Children must feel safe speaking about their worries and asking for help without judgement. We must listen to them and ensure they know where to turn for support,” he said
Wee urged the public to respect the privacy and dignity of all children involved and refrain from sharing or reposting videos or photographs that could identify them
“Further circulation may cause distress to the children, their families and the wider school community. Let us support their recovery and avoid speculation,” he said
He also highlighted Section 15 of the Child Act 2001, which restricts the publication or dissemination of information that could identify a child involved in legal proceedings, whether as a suspect, victim or witness
Meanwhile, Wee commended the school’s swift response and praised the courage of the teacher reportedly injured while protecting her students, as well as the two students who reportedly stepped forward to assist her
“The teacher and the students who came forward to help showed great courage. Their actions deserve our appreciation. I wish the injured teacher a smooth and speedy recovery,” he said
On the Kuching South Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) Action Plan, Wee emphasised that creating a child-friendly city includes supporting children’s mental and emotional wellbeing alongside their physical safety
“In implementing our CFCI Action Plan, we must give attention to children’s voices, strengthen mental health awareness and work with schools, families and relevant agencies to help children access support early,” he said
“Every child deserves to feel safe, heard and supported. Our response, including what we share online, should reflect that responsibility.” – DayakDaily
