The Malay proverb “Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya” (Bend the bamboo while it is still a shoot) encapsulates a truth that generations of Malaysians once understood instinctively.
Just as bamboo can only be shaped in its early, tender stages and becomes rigid and unyielding once mature, a child’s character can only be molded during the formative years.
Neglect this window of opportunity, and you will spend a lifetime trying to correct what could have been prevented.
While the recent school violence incidents remain a complex crisis fuelled by multifaceted factors like mental health struggles and social isolation, the systemic erosion of behavioural boundaries remains a critical catalyst.
