A two-day “SaveYourDaraCampaign” launched by National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) to promote sexual abstinence among young teen and girls in particular has been pummelled on Twitter.
Users criticized the local magazine “Dara” for focussing solely on safeguarding female virginity and called the campaign “blatantly stupid”.
The topic debated under the hashtag #SaveYourDaraCampaign generated outrage, with some scoff at the initiative and lash out at the campaign’s organiser, Majalah Dara, a subsidiary of the Karangkraf Group.
Sex education has long been a taboo area under discussion in Malaysia where even being nearby with a member of the opposite sex, who is not a spouse or a next of kin, is regarded as an offence for Muslims.
According to Datuk Dr Siti Norlasiah Ismail, director-general of National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) at the Karangkraf Carnival 2015 on Friday, the campaign is to raise awareness on protecting one’s chastity to stay away from the risk of getting involved social ills.
Dara’s editor Noor Fazidah Umar was quoted saying, “cases of illegitimate children, baby dumping, and free sex are closely related to one’s’ chastity”.
The increasing number of teen pregnancies as well as baby-dumping cases in recent years has led to various efforts to take up the issue.
Notwithstanding the backlash, the campaign appeared to have gained the required attention as it pulled out encouraging response from those who had attended the carnival.
“Teenagers gained plenty information and a lot of importance was given to how we carry ourselves, how we dressed to not arouse men,” said participant Nur Shahirah Ali.
In Malaysia, self-denial is the primary focus in sex education, with a curriculum concentrated on teaching adolescents on how to spot and shun risky behaviour.