{"id":6694,"date":"2012-03-20T08:34:05","date_gmt":"2012-03-20T15:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/humanium.org\/en\/?page_id=6694"},"modified":"2025-12-05T16:16:44","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T16:16:44","slug":"malaysia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/malaysia\/","title":{"rendered":"Children of Malaysia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Children of Malaysia<\/h1>\n

Realizing Children’s Rights in Malaysia<\/h2>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

The Malaysian government presents an image of a country where different ethnic groups live together in peace and harmony, but the reality is quite different. Children of ethnic and religious minorities face many obstacles, and children’s rights in general are also not fully respected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n<\/div>\n

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Population:<\/strong> 29,95 million
\nPop. ages 0-14:<\/strong> 29,1 %<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Life expectancy:<\/strong>\u00a0 75 years
\nUnder-5 mortality rate: <\/strong>9\u00a0%<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Main problems faced by children in Malaysia:<\/h3>\n

Poverty<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Many children in Malaysia suffer from poverty<\/a>.\u00a0 Although the country has made significant efforts to improve the situation, UNICEF estimates that more than 72,000 children under the age of 15 still live in difficult conditions without the means to fulfill their own basic needs.<\/p>\n

The organization is working with the country’s leadership to combat poverty<\/a> and the consequences it has on the lives of children.<\/p>\n

\"\"Right to education<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Education<\/a> in Malaysia is mandatory for children between 6 and 11 years old, and public schools are free.\u00a0 Lessons are taught mainly in Malay and English.\u00a0 It’s also common to have lessons in Chinese or Tamil.<\/p>\n

About 90% of children attend school, but there are huge disparities between rural and urban regions.\u00a0 Children in rural areas (mostly indigenous children) often do not attend school<\/a>.\u00a0 And less than a quarter of that 90% finishes junior high.<\/p>\n

Also, it is deplorable that non-citizens must pay extra fees in order to send their children to school.<\/p>\n

Finally, girls are sometimes deprived of their right to an education <\/a>purely for cultural reasons.\u00a0 Fortunately, educational policies are improving this situation and gender equality in general.<\/p>\n

Right to an Identity<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Malaysian authorities forbid children of immigrant or asylum-seeking parents to be registered.\u00a0 Some asylum seekers even risk being arrested as illegal immigrants if they try to register their children.<\/p>\n

In addition, marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims are not officially recognized.\u00a0 Parents in such a union also have difficulty registering their children.<\/p>\n

Without a birth certificate, children are stateless<\/a>, and they are forbidden from enrolling in school<\/a>.\u00a0 Their rights to an identity<\/a> and to an education<\/a> are violated.<\/p>\n

Right to Nondiscrimination<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Discrimination towards children of ethnic minorities<\/h4>\n

Malaysia’s population is comprised of three main ethnicities: 60% Malays, 25% Chinese, and 10% Indians.<\/p>\n

Several years ago, Malaysian authorities developed a program of ethnic discrimination<\/a> which favored Malays.\u00a0 The State feared that ethnic minorities would hinder unification of the country, so they tried to give Malays better opportunities to the detriment of the minority population.<\/p>\n

These policies have prevented children of Chinese, Indian, and other minority descents from accessing the same services as Malay children, particularly education<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Discrimination towards children of religious minorities<\/h4>\n

\"\"Islam is the State religion of Malaysia, and 60% of Malaysians are Muslim.\u00a0 Although religious minorities are not persecuted, they are still discriminated<\/a>\u00a0against.\u00a0 Freedom of religion exists in theory, but, because of Malaysia’s radicalization, not in practice.\u00a0 As an example, Malaysian authorities have confiscated Christian children’s books claiming that illustrations of the prophets Moses and Abraham violate Islamic law (Sharia).<\/p>\n

Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and other religious groups feel more and more targeted in Malaysia as their right to freely practice their religion becomes more constrained.<\/p>\n

Discrimination<\/a> towards girls<\/h4>\n

There is not always sexual equality in Malaysia, and girls are not cared for in the same way as boys.\u00a0 Still, significant strides forward have been made in education <\/a>for girls.<\/p>\n

Female Genital Mutilations<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Female genital mutilations<\/a>, also known as feminine circumcision, are common practices among Malaysian Muslims.\u00a0 The procedures are normally carried out by doctors or midwives when infant girls are several months old.<\/p>\n

Although these genital mutilations<\/a> are conducted in more hygienic conditions than in some African countries, they still pose a major threat to girls’ lives and overall health.\u00a0 Feminine circumcision continues, passed by cultural tradition from one generation to the next, in spite of its cruelty and the intense pain experienced by girls.<\/p>\n

\"\"Child marriage<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the Islamic religion, the minimum age for marriage<\/a> is 18 for boys and 16 for girls. \u00a0Muslims younger than 16 years of age must seek permission of a religious tribunal in order to marry.<\/p>\n

Every Muslim wishing to marry must undergo a mandatory premarital HIV\/AIDS <\/a>screening.\u00a0 The government uses these screenings to register most children who wish to be married.\u00a0 However, it seems that the rules of the religious tribunals are becoming more strict, and they are giving permission for child marriages<\/a> less frequently than in previous years.<\/p>\n

The country is currently debating the issue of child marriage <\/a>after the public celebration of a young girl of 14 to a teacher of 23 in December 2010.\u00a0 The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has released a statement calling the marriage of minors <\/a>both morally and socially unacceptable.<\/p>\n

Children and HIV\/AIDS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The rate of HIV\/AIDS<\/a> infection is rising in Malaysia despite some prevention efforts, as the existing resources are not sufficient to combat all the problems.<\/p>\n

The Committee on the Rights of the Child has expressed concern for the growing number of AIDS orphans<\/a> and encourages the country to organize protection programs to provide aid.<\/p>\n

It would also be beneficial to establish national programs to raise awareness among the population on existing methods of protection from the virus.\u00a0 Unfortunately, AIDS is still a culturally sensitive subject in Malaysia, which precludes effective information on prevention for both adults and children from being disseminated.<\/p>\n

\"\"Child abuse<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Torture<\/a> is not illegal in Malaysia.\u00a0 Criminal law actually allows caning or whipping as a supplementary punishment to a prison sentence.\u00a0 This punishment is commonly practiced on adult men and boys as young as ten years old, even if they have committed non-violent crimes.\u00a0 Boys usually receive ten lashes with a light switch.\u00a0 In certain states, though, women and girls are exempt from these practices.<\/p>\n

Death Penalty for Children<\/strong><\/p>\n

The death penaltys unfortunately allowed against children in this country, which contradicts their right to life<\/a>.\u00a0 However, the Constitution only allows this punishment to be used for children who have committed certain types of crimes, mostly acts that pose a threat to national security.\u00a0 These crimes include using firearms, ammunition, or explosives; disrupting internal security or the public order; and terrorism.\u00a0 The death penalty has also not been used for minors in several years.<\/p>\n

Life Imprisonment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Life imprisonment is an alternative sentence for all crimes where the death penalty cannot be applied against children.<\/p>\n

In principle, children under 14 years of age cannot be sentenced to life imprisonment.\u00a0 However, this clause is voided if they are associated with people who possess firearms or explosives, who disrupt internal security or the public order, or who are linked to terrorist acts.<\/p>\n

Sexual Exploitation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Child prostitution<\/h4>\n

\"\"Sexual exploitation of children<\/a> is common in rural regions.\u00a0 Children who live or work in the streets<\/a> are often victims of this practice.\u00a0 Malaysia is a destination country for many women and girls from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Mongolia, or China.\u00a0 They immigrate with the hope of finding honest work or a better life, but most of them are forced into prostitution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Child trafficking<\/a> is also common in this country, supporting the sexual exploitation <\/a>of children for commercial means.<\/p>\n

Children who prostitute <\/a>themselves are usually seen as delinquents or illegal immigrants and not for what they truly are: victims.<\/p>\n

Sexual abuse<\/h4>\n

Children in Malaysia are frequently sexually abused<\/a> within their own families, which is known as incest.<\/p>\n

Incest carries a punishment of 6-20 years imprisonment and caning.\u00a0 However, children’s testimonies are only accepted if corroborating proof exists.\u00a0 Most times, the abused child<\/a> is the only witness to the crime.<\/p>\n

Child Labour<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It is illegal for children under the age of 14 to work<\/a>, but they are permitted to contribute to family businesses.\u00a0 It is also legal for children to work in entertainment, for the government, in schools, or as apprentices.<\/p>\n

In all cases, a child may not work<\/a> more than six hours per day, more than six days per week, or during the night.\u00a0 However, these restrictions are still too permissive, and contradict the child’s best interests.<\/p>\n

\"\"Street Children<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the state of Sabah, about 15,000 children are born to illegal immigrants and live in the streets<\/a>.\u00a0 These children are not citizens as they are not officially recorded in birth registers.<\/p>\n

They have no governmental support and often fall victim to trafficking<\/a>.\u00a0 They are also forced to prostitute <\/a>themselves, participate in criminal activities, or to labor<\/a> in order to fulfill their own needs.<\/p>\n

Refugee children<\/a> and their families find themselves in a similar situation to street children.\u00a0 They are not welcomed into the country and are not given any protection <\/a>or access to education<\/a>.\u00a0 They often fall victim to trafficking <\/a>and slavery.<\/p>\n

Malaysia has not ratified the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees or its Protocol, and does not have a system in place for legal protection.\u00a0 Refugees can thus be deported and sent back to their home country, even if that puts their lives in danger.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Children of Malaysia Realizing Children’s Rights in Malaysia The Malaysian government presents an image of a country where different ethnic groups live together in peace and harmony, but the reality is quite different. Children of ethnic and religious minorities face many obstacles, and children’s rights in general are also not fully respected. Population: 29,95 million […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6694","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChildren of Malaysia - Humanium<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Malaysia: Children of ethnic and religious minorities face many obstacles, and children's rights in general are also not fully respected.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/malaysia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Children of Malaysia - Humanium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Malaysia: Children of ethnic and religious minorities face many obstacles, and children's rights in general are also not fully respected.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/malaysia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Humanium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-05T16:16:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/malaysia\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/malaysia\/\",\"name\":\"Children of Malaysia - 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