Explain your methodology, DPM tells NGO of claims 80pc kids aged 10-17 have watched porn

SERDANG, March 24 — Malaysians Against Pornography (MAP) should clarify the methodology of its study which found about 80 per cent of children aged between 10 and 17 intentionally watched pornography in 2018.

The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the study method should be explained in detailed.

“Obviously, the result is something worrying. Nonetheless, the findings should be explained in terms of how the study was conducted, how small or how big is the sample? How MAP obtain the conclusions. How did MAP come to that sort of results?” she told reporters when asked to comment on a media report yesterday that about 80 per cent of children aged between 10 and 17 watched pornography intentionally.

She was met after opening a Seminar on Volunteers in National Hospitals at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Medicine and Health Science Faculty here today.   

Dr Wan Azizah also asked the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) and other sources on the findings of the study by MAP.

She said her ministry was giving serious attention to children exposed to pornography in the cyberspace.          

The deputy prime minister said the fifth Malaysia Population and Family Study in 2014 showed 35.3 of individuals aged 13 to 24 were exposed to pornography via Internet, smart phone and pornographic digital video disc. The study was conducted by LPPKN every 10 years.

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry through LPPKN has been giving education to parents on the safety of children in the cyber space through its Children and Family Safety Awareness Programme (Peka) in which parents were taught ways to assist children in cyber bullying, sexting and online grooming.

“As at 2018, 184 Peka programmes were conducted involving 5,520 participants from all over Malaysia. Another programme is Pekerti which gives exposure to children and teenagers on sexuality in which 779,000 participants were involved in the programme as at the end of 2018.

“Apart from that, the Cyber Smart Family campaign is aimed at ensuring quality time with the family as well as setting appropriate time for using gadgets as well as the Family Reject Pornography (Stop) campaign, an initiative of non-governmental organisations,” added Dr Wan Azizah. — Bernama