Zahid says most Asean parents unaware of digital risks to children

The Star

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says nearly 70% of parents in Asean are unaware of the digital risks their children face.  He said the challenge spans borders and is present in homes, schools and communities.  Read more at https://tinyurl.com/2uamznuk  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00UNICEF

00:06UNICEF reminds us that

00:10one in every three internet users today is a child.

00:15This tells us one simple truth.

00:20Childhood today is lived as much on the screen as it is on the playground.

00:29The digital world has become their classroom,

00:34their entertainment, their social space and sometimes their greatest risk.

00:40And so, as I stand here today in this important Asian Forum,

00:47we are not simply attending another conference.

00:51We are answering a written call to conscience

00:55because protecting children in the digital age

00:59is a responsibility that no generation before us has ever faced.

01:04Yet, one that our generation must confront with courage, clarity and unity.

01:10The digital world offers opportunity,

01:15but it also presents risks that are growing faster than our ability to respond.

01:25Across the ASEAN region, we are seeing the warning signs.

01:31In Singapore, for example,

01:3674% of internet users aged 15 and above reported

01:43encountering harmful content online in 2024.

01:50In our country in Malaysia, one survey shows that

01:54around 33% of our young people reported being victims of online bullying.

02:04These figures are more than numbers.

02:08There are signals that our existing safety nets are being stretched free.

02:17To protect children in this new digital frontier,

02:21we must strengthen these foundations.

02:24It is practical, high-impact cooperation.

02:27Malaysia, therefore, proposed three regional priorities.

02:34First, an ASEAN child protection information exchange network,

02:41a cross-border communication mechanism for faster earners,

02:46data sharing and coordinated responses to child-related online threats.

02:53Second, a shared digital forensic protocol to accelerate investigation,

02:59streamline evidence exchange,

03:01and ensure predators cannot hide behind tourist additional gaps.

03:08Third, an ASEAN digital guardianship curriculum,

03:14a common module for schools to build digital resilience,

03:19ethics, and online safety skills from the earliest years.

03:25These are initiatives that can be very quickly improved over time

03:32and scale collectively.

03:36InshaAllah, God will.

03:40They will bring ASEAN closer to become one of the safest digital regions for children.

03:46And as ASEAN advances pressure, all of us must lead by example.

03:58We recognize that children are not just technology users.

04:02They are active digital citizens.

04:06Their voices, ideas, and concerns must shape the solutions we design.

04:12This forum is also especially meaningful for Malaysia,

04:16as it coincides with the launch of our latest National Child Policy

04:21and its Plan of Action 2026-2030,

04:26which will be officiated today by our Deputy Prime Minister,

04:30Yang Ahmad Brahmad Datuk Sri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

04:33This renewed policy reflects Malaysia's long-standing commitment

04:39to the Convention on the Rights of the Child

04:42and strengthens our national roadmap across four core pillars,

04:47that is survival, protection, development, and participation.

04:52Supported by 141 actions under 16 strategic priorities,

04:58the policy and plan of action sets a clear direction

05:02for safeguarding children's rights, elevating their well-being,

05:07and ensuring that every child, including those most at risk,

05:12grows up in an environment that is safe, nurturing, inclusive, and empowering.

05:18It is a milestone that reinforces our shared belief

05:23that the best policies for children

05:25are those built with collaboration, evidence, and compassion.

05:30Compassion.

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