KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the bullying culture that has seemingly become widespread in learning centres and schools in Sabah and the country must be viewed seriously and addressed.
“I personally feel very disappointed and deeply saddened by what has happened. This is a situation that should not have occured.
“What is even more disheartening is that this culture of bullying among students has also taken place in religious schools! Society has begun to question, and I, too, want to know what exactly has happened.
“How could such a culture of bullying exist within an institution that bears the symbol of the sanctity of Islam? Where did it go wrong?” he said at the opening of the Du’at Convention at the Sabah International Convention Centre here today.
In this respect, the Chief Minister believed that the Islamic religious affairs convention is the right avenue to reflect on and evaluate weaknesses, correct shortcomings not only in schools but also in all organisations, whether they belong to the government or the private sector.
Hajiji said that as citizens in a multi-racial country, Muslims cannot avoid facing issues related to their religion, especially on social media.He expressed concern about the spread of false propaganda, including fake news and slander, a malicious tactic used by anti-government groups aimed at demeaning or destroying the reputation of certain leaders as the state election draws near.
“Apart from political issues, there are also other matters that have been sensationalised, such as those concerning the economy, security, health, the environment, and the 3R (Race, Religion and Royalty), where even the institution of the Yang Di-Pertua Negeri has been attacked and belittled,” he said.
Also not spared was the tragic incident involving the bullying culture among school children, which has resulted in the loss of life. This has been sensationalised by some irresponsible netizens, to the extent that they resorted to lying, spreading fake news, and slandering targetted individuals, he said.
The Chief Minister said that the rapid explosion of Information Technology in this century has opened up a borderless world, shrinking the world into what is called The Global Village, where everything is literally at one’s fingertips.
The challenge, he said has grown even greater with the creation of sophisticated applications known as Artificial Intelligence (AI), designed to help ease tasks and work in this modern age.
“However, behind the benefits and conveniences of such advanced technologies, they can also pose serious threats and challenges to us, especially Muslims, if misused or weaponised to produce false infographics, audio or videos with the intent to destabilise the Muslim community worldwide,” he said.
“Abuse of these applications is the major challenge we face in this century. It must be remembered that the digital world, including internet technology, is constantly and rapidly evolving.
“Every day, new inventions are created by scientists and programmers, to the point where ordinary users often struggle to keep up. The real concern lies with the younger generation and future generations of our country,” he said.
Hajiji said that the reality is that advanced technologies will dominate human life as developed nations race to create gadgets and more , not only to control the global market but also to influence and dominate the minds and thinking of humankind.
In this respect, he said, this is where parents, educators, preachers, leaders of organisations and community leaders have a role to play to guide and protect our young.
“The task of educating the younger generation and shaping members of society is a fardhu kifayah (a collective religious duty) that brings great reward. Therefore, it must be carried out with deep responsibility and love for the nation and the country,” he said.-pr/BNN
