Children's Commissioner urges schools to add trusted reporting officers and independent abuse channels

In a briefing, Children’s Commissioner Adib Samuri urged that each school assign a trained officer whom students recognize and feel safe approaching, and that one outlet's reporting mechanism be established outside the school environment. He emphasized regular, private check-ins for at-risk groups such as boarding-school pupils and children with disabilities. The call comes after two prolonged sexual abuse cases were discovered in Johor during routine health screenings, underscoring the role of school health teams as a protective layer.

Samuri supports a nationwide rollout of health screenings but insists they be conducted privately and without stigma. He proposed extending mandatory reporting obligations, currently limited to medical officers, to include teachers, nurses and counsellors, while ensuring legal protection for those reporting on reasonable suspicion. Finally, he criticized the fragmented handover between schools, the health ministry, the social welfare department and the police, and advocated for permanent body-safety education in the curriculum.