PUTRAJAYA, July 3 – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has today urged Malaysians to stop "normalising vice”, accusing those who do of hiding behind calls for "personal freedom”,

Amid the revelation of data of tertiary students living with HIV, the minister described the figures as "deeply concerning” and pointed to a rise in "social ills and the erosion of moral values” among youth.

"As the minister responsible for religious affairs, I am deeply concerned by this development,” he said.

"It is time we put a stop to the normalisation of vice under the guise of personal freedom. It is time we rise to build a stronghold of morality and spirituality.”

Na’im urged students and youths to uphold their dignity and view religion not just as a subject in school, but as a guiding principle for life.

"Live by principles, not simply by going with the flow,” he said.

He also called for a combined approach involving education, awareness, and enforcement to address the issue of HIV among youths.

Religious agencies, non-governmental organisations and educational institutions must join forces to safeguard the future generation, he added.

Na’im stressed that the government remained committed to nurturing a society that is both intellectually and spiritually strong.

On Wednesday, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said a total of 222 HIV infections were detected among students of higher learning institutions last year, including those as young as 18 and 19.

He said that overall, 1,091 HIV infections were detected among tertiary students between 2020 and 2024.

Lukanisman had however acknowledged that underage teenagers face limitations in accessing HIV self-testing and follow-up treatment, as there is no legal provision that permits them to undergo screening without parental consent.