PUTRAJAYA: A proposal to increase the study hours for the lessons on reproductive health to raise awareness among pupils and students will be submitted to the Cabinet, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Talking to reporters after chairing the second meeting of the National Social Council for 2023 today, he said the council was informed of the alarming rate of social activities among teenagers as young as 13 yours old.

He said it will be presented to the Cabinet soon by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri so that drastic measures can be implemented to tackle the problem.

"This problem is very worrying... this is certainly not a political issue but a real social problem and we must find ways to stop it," he said.

Ahmad Zahid also said the National Social Council will urge the Cabinet to take immediate action to tackle online scams that have caused victims to lose nearly RM1 billion a year, adding that measures are urgently needed to prevent it from causing a bigger social problem.

He said to deal with online fraud cases, the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) of the police force needs advanced equipment and new recruitment.

Besides that, Ahmad Zahid said the council have also agreed that Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) should instruct banks to provide facilities for persons with disabilities in stages.

At the same press conference, Nancy said the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) would prepare the proposal on the measures to curb social activities involving teenagers to be presented to the Cabinet soon.

"We (KPWKM) have organised reproductive health education programmes everywhere and will be extending the programmes to schools," she said, adding that KPWKM has also conducted a survey involving unmarried individuals aged 13 and 24.

The survey indicates that 68.8 per cent of individuals aged 16 to 24 and 31.2 per cent of teenagers between the age of 13 and 15 have had sexual intercourse.

-- BERNAMA