KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry has been urged to urgently look into addressing the prevalence of HIV cases among tertiary students in Malaysia arising from same sex relationships.
In making the call, Parti Bangsa Malaysia Women Chief, Dr Daroyah Alwi said this alarming culture was revealed recently by a family health practitioner Dr Sakinah Sulong during a forum.
"She had also expressed alarm over the prevalence of such cases. In this respect, the ministry should set up a taskforce to study this supposed trend in greater detail to find out the reasons why students were engaged in gay sex as well as their awareness on contraceptive use," Dr Daroyah said in a statement today.
According to Dr Sakinah, medical practitioners stationed in university townships would be able to attest to this trend among students there.
"Not only is gay sex against Malaysian law, the resulting health consequences such as the students contracting the HIV virus can have far-reaching consequences.
"Many tertiary students are the hopes of this nation but if they succumb to this sexually-transmitted disease (STD), it will harm not only the student, but this nation which has invested heavily in the student's future," added Dr Daroyah.
As an interim measure, she said the ministry should direct university administrators to step up on students' outreach programmes in their respective campuses to curb this trend.
It is possible that some university students just needed a listening ear or helping hand to prevent them from falling into despair and delusion that leads them into leading a risky lifestyle, she said.
"PBM is of the view that this trend needs to be nipped in the bud. If nothing is done to stem the tide, this lifestyle that goes against our local values, will gain wider societal acceptance, especially if it's prevalent among university students.
"This will not only result in hefty health costs to this nation but will undermine our social foundations," she added.