Petaling jaya: Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching has issued a stern warning to the public against sharing images or videos of the victim and suspect involved in the fatal stabbing at a Petaling Jaya secondary school. Teo emphasised that disseminating such content, including crime scene evidence, is not only deeply distressing for the affected families but also constitutes a criminal offence, in line with the statement issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Teo highlighted that sharing the victim’s and suspect’s images is an offence under the Child Act 2001. The Act clearly stipulates that no one is permitted to disclose any images identifying a child, defined as any person under the age of 18. She relayed this message to reporters after paying her last respects to the deceased student at the Nirvana Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Teo further stressed that the circulation of such material is highly irresponsible, as it not only harms public sentiment but also compounds the suffering of the victim’s family. She noted the distress caused by images showing the victim at the scene, which could intensify the grief experienced by friends and family. Teo urged the public not to share unverified information, emphasizing the shared responsibility in preventing further emotional harm to the victim’s family.

Commenting on the role of social media in such incidents, Teo mentioned that the government is in active discussions with social media platform providers to tighten controls. She pointed out the inadequacy of self-declaration systems for age verification and emphasized the need for more robust mechanisms. Teo stated that both parents and social media providers are responsible for curbing the spread of false information and inappropriate content.

Teo also shared a complaint from the victim’s uncle about a false claim circulating on social media, highlighting the challenges in removing misleading posts. She expressed concerns about the responsiveness of platforms like Meta in taking down problematic content, stressing the necessity for social media platforms to play a proactive role in managing the digital space they control.

The incident involved a 16-year-old female student who was reportedly stabbed to death by a male student at a secondary school in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday morning.