The truth is Malaysia has implemented a Sex education programme called Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) in 2011, but the programme was either vague or only cover biological facts like the reproductive system, topics on sexuality are often avoided (Salbiah Said & Bernama, 2019). In fact, Some teachers and educators are also shy to discuss this topic among the students, they will use metaphors and analogy to explain but this often further confuses students. (Talib et al., 2012). Hence, it is important to have well trained professionals or teachers who know how to appropriately deliver this topic to students of different age groups. 

 

In addition, sex education often focuses on abstinence, which is in line with religious beliefs in Malaysia. Abstinence often instills guilt and shame strategy in order to refrain adolescence from engaging in sexual activity. There were cases that the Malaysian healthcare professionals’ beliefs would influence the quality of sexual health information and treatment they provide to adolescents. This is shown in studies regarding how healthcare professionals instill Islamic beliefs when educating adolescence (Abdul Hamid et al., 2020) (Abdul Hamid & Fallon, 2022). Their strategies include telling them if they engage in sinful premarital sex they will get HIV as a punishment by God, and instead of informing adolescents about safe sex (like proper use of condoms to protect them from STI), they selectively choose the information siding abstinence, claiming its the only way to prevent sexual transmitted dieases. This contradicts the policy of CSE that focuses on informing adolescents with knowledge and skills to help them make informed choices and enjoy their sexuality physically and emotionally, be it on an individual level or in their relationship.  As a result adolescent may not seek help from professionals because they are ashamed to reveal their engagement in premarital sex. Therefore, this practice is not effective in preventing unintended pregnancy or preventing spread of sexual disease because it deprives adolescents from having the essential knowledge on protected sex. 

 

Apart from that, there are also stigma and misconception around sex education (Leong, 2021). As there are people who believe sex education promotes sex, but it instead informs youngsters on healthy sexual behaviors, helping them to assess risks, and disease prevention, research has proven that CSE could decrease frequency of sexual activity and increase contraceptive use (Ramírez-Villalobos et al., 2021). 

 

On top of that, parental attitudes play a key role in effective sex education as well. Though Malaysian parents generally support the teaching of sex education in schools, their beliefs and misconceptions could get in their way to provide their children a holistic understanding on the topic. To support this, study shows that parents who endorse traditional Chinese beliefs are more reluctant to discuss sex ed with their children, thinking it's a taboo topic (Kee-Jiar & Shih-Hui, 2020). While some are too shy to openly discuss the topic with their children. But in reality, parents themselves were not educated properly on sex education and they do not know what is right to share with their children. There are reports indicating certain parents have some misconception that sexuality means intimidate intercourse (Sham et al., 2020), without knowing that according to UNESCO (2010), “ ‘Sexuality’ is defined as a core dimension of being human which includes: the understanding of, and relationship to, the human body; emotional attachment and love; sex; gender; gender identity; sexual orientation; sexual intimacy; pleasure and reproduction. Sexuality is complex and includes biological, social, psychological, spiritual, religious, political, legal, historic, ethical and cultural dimensions that evolve over a lifespan”. Thus, sexuality is inseparable from life and that's why education is vital to help children achieve good sexual well-being and develop healthy and responsible relationships. Nevertheless, without clarity on this misconception, parents would only shy away from this topic. Other reasons that discourage parents from educating their children involve busy schedules, believing parents are not responsible for children's sex education, and children are too young to understand the topic.