Check this out, Education Minister!

I noticed this CSR print ad on page 7 of the NST today with the caption "Beware of Strangers who pretend to know you."


I think this commendable effort has something to do with the recent spate of horrible crimes against children in our country. The above message appeared on the top left hand side of the advertisement.


On the right hand side is the above message. And right at the bottom is this joint message from our Polis Di Raja Malaysia and RHB Banking Group.


The message reads:

It is easier for strangers to befriend your child if they know their name. Tell your child not to display or write their name on the outside of their bags, books or clothes in public. Assist RHB Banking Group and the Police in reuniting families. Contact the Police at 999 with any information on a missing child. You can help bring a child home.

I wonder if our Education Minister is aware that in Malaysia, ALL school children in national and vernacular schools are required to wear a name tag sewn onto their school uniforms clearly displaying their NAME and school registration number to the public.

Have they not been advised by the police that this particular rule exposes the children, especially those young ones from primary schools, to great danger?

Or is the Education Ministry guilty of being incredibly ignorant of increasing levels of crime against our children?

Either way, this advertisement is a timely reminder for them to wake up and take note!