Suhakam: All sports coaches should undergo compulsory training on children’s rights to receive licence

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) today said that all sports coaches and instructors should undergo compulsory human rights and children’s rights courses as a condition to receive their licence to train students.

Suhakam chairman Prof Datuk Dr Rahmat Mohamad in a statement today said the commission supports the decision by the Malaysia Volleyball Association (MAVA) to revoke the licence of the volleyball coach who was caught slapping two teen players.

“As a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 1989, it is the country’s responsibility to ensure that children’s rights to involve themselves in games and recreational activities are upheld and respected,” he said.

He added that the Education Ministry and Youth and Sports Ministry’s action to revoke the licence of the coach was a strong signal that both ministries will not compromise on the safety of athletes, particularly those who are still children.

The decision can also be seen as a guarantee that children and teenagers will not be abused and dishonoured by anyone when it comes to their involvement in sports, art, or cultural activities, he said.

“If incidents like this are not handled fairly, it is feared that the emotions of children will be disturbed and they might feel scared to play or to join sports activities,” he added.

Besides that, he said that parents can report such cases to the police or to the Department of Social Welfare through the Kasih Hotline at 15999 or they can WhatsApp 019-2615999.

Parents may also make reports to the Education Ministry and Youth and Sports Ministry, he added.

Last Thursday (January 12), the Education Ministry and Youth and Sports Ministry released a joint statement supporting the actions of MAVA in revoking the licence of the volleyball coach, who is also prohibited from conducting any training activities.

The week before, a video had gone viral showing a volleyball coach slapping two teenage girls during the Under-14 Youth Volleyball Championship in Kota Tinggi, Johor.