KUALA LUMPUR: Several Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have advised parents to consider sending their children to martial art classes to protect themselves when faced with threatening situations.
Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said children may encounter risks of getting assaulted or harmed, so it is a necessity for them to learn some techniques to defend themselves.
Lee believes that knowing the art of self-defence provides both physical and mental dexterity among children since they are weaker in physical strength compared to adults.
“By learning self-defence techniques, children manage on their own even when their parents are not around,” he told Bernama when contacted.
He noted that children will be street-smart if they know how to keep themselves safe from strangers when they are alone, whether they are walking to school or hanging out on the playground.
Former Taekwondo instructor N Gaury, 27, said the art of self-defence should be inculcated in children as young as five years old to help develop their character and confidence.
She pointed out that all children are taught at their own pace and are never pressured to perform beyond their capabilities.
She said that learning martial arts definitely boosts self-confidence and self-esteem among the trainees.
“When children are confident of defending themselves, they will feel safer when carrying out daily activities,” she added.
The Malaysian Crime Prevention Awareness Board president, Prof Datuk Seri Saharuddin Awang Yahya feels that some parents often neglect the art of self-defence, saying that self-defence is not about learning how to fight.
He noted that some parents may think self-defence promotes violence, but actually it helps to teach self-discipline and socialisation skills.
He reminds the parents that, even if the actual martial art moves learned in class cannot be used in a real-life scenario, the skills would instill confidence in the child.
“Parents should know where their kids are at all times and the first thing they should do is to educate their children to differentiate a safe person from a dangerous one to avoid undesired situation,” he said. — Bernama