FINDINGS & DISCUSSION

As a topic that closely ties with our primitive instincts to produce offspring, this domain of social sciences plays a pivotal role in the digression of the societal norms that view sexual education from various limelights. When dissected, psychology is deeply rooted in the study of individuals in society while sociology focuses more on studying societies as a concept. The concept of nature and nurture is deeply rooted in the field of psychology, as it describes the behavior of an individual which draws influence from internal (nature) and external (nurture) factors. Sociology, however, digs into the more macro aspects of humans where tropes of cultures, social structures, macroeconomics and policy-making are recurring themes that boil down to the big picture of how a society functions as one intricate machine.

Despite the vast discrepancy in these 2 terminologies, the common thread that ties their duality of them together is the aim to understand patterns of behaviour. The interlock of the two disciplines materializes a field known as social psychology, which is a culmination of everything mentioned above. I.e., sociological concepts of cultures, social structures, macroeconomics, and policy-making while observing individual behaviours in a context of macro.

In accordance with our survey, a large majority of respondents agreed with the notion that there is a lack of sex education in Malaysia. However, in terms of the nuances of what contributes towards this claim, there are varied views in terms of exposure, government intervention, necessity and economic welfare which is also the aspects on what our survey touches upon.

The respondents range between 16 to 58 of age, allowing for a vast visualization of how different generations perceive this topic. Despite the vast age discrepancy, it is apparent that the general consensus among this demographic lies within the underlying awareness of our lack of sexual education within this country. This inquiry grows in tandem with another section of the survey, asking on the respondent views on sexual education. I.e liberal or conservative, with the majority settling on liberal views. The spectrum of conservative to liberal is stereotypically directly proportional to age as this notion reflects the views of people from varying generations with different exposures and resources towards the topic. However, conducting the survey within a racially diverse demographic in Malaysia would also mean other factors which come into play such as religion and political views which in turn tunes the spectrum among these two turfs. An individual’s stance is dictated by their external environment which influences one’s to manifest their own respective thoughts, views and opinions.

When talking about influence, one’s application of their knowledge in their daily life is a fundamental measure of how one continues to gauge the necessity for such an education among the general public, especially involving stakeholders with a plethora of views in order to respect the diversity of the nation. From the survey, an alarming 81.8% of respondents have not applied their sexual education, leaving a measly 18.2% of those who have. On one hand, some examples of what the minority has applied include the purchase of contraceptives, self education about gender differences as well as the learning and understanding about the menstruation cycle. Psychologically speaking, the argument that lies behind these numbers lies within the internalized embarrassment with the practice of acts which are societally considered “unholy”, “dirty” or unorthodox that is driven by the sociological factors of external influence that come with varying opinions from said diversity of people particularly lying in conservative notions and ideologies that subverts normalized sexual education. Examples of external influence in this context include family, friends, political landscape and mass media.

The economic welfare of the people can contribute towards the exposure of sexual education. When looking at the awareness of sexual education of the public, it is easy to paint a picture of the divide among the economic statuses which is B40, M40 and T20. With the majority of respondents agreeing with the educational gap, exposure in turn raises the question about accessibility towards various resources. For instance, issues pertaining to menstruation is still rampant among our society. When relating this topic to wealth, period poverty is one of the products that do not do women justice especially among the B40 community where accessible sanitary products like pads and tampons are considered a luxury in their circumstances. As a result, alternatives like DIY menstruation products or disease are c

ommon among women who are unable to afford quality sanitary products. This economic group is also prone to unplanned pregnancies as proper sexual education is unable to reach them. The outreach towards this socioeconomic group is influenced by sociological factors driven by the fight or flight response of human beings. This rationale is justified by the mindset of needing monetary income to survive rather than placing priority on education which takes time away from work. As a result, odd jobs are a last resort for the underprivileged in order to make a living.

According to the survey, government intervention, a majority of 70.9% indicate that materials on sexual education provided by the government is insufficient while a hefty 23.6% answered with uncertainty. The notion of insufficient materials is tied deeply within our education system, as an unstandardized syllabus of sexual education branching out into different socioeconomic groups does not give the nation an accurate picture of what proper sexual education is meant to be. However, credit has to be given where it is due as government services are indeed available which caters towards various matters pertaining to social welfare under the efforts of Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga. Despite the efforts, the paradox of 23.6% answering with an unsure view indicates that the reach of the government towards target groups is ineffective.

This study, which dials into the target group of adolescents, coincides with the age group in which research has shown an average of 1800 Malaysian teenage girls get pregnant each year, and 25% of them are pregnant out of wedlock (Salbiah Said & Bernama, 2019). From the perspective of psychology, adolescents reach a point in life where the journey of self exploration is at its peak, where curiosities are itching to be satiated and hormones raging as they undergo this phase. This further justifies the reason why proper education from a young age is crucial in influencing an individual’s future actions and ingraining the fact that every action has its own consequences.

The philosophy of prosperity, otherwise known as Falsafah Sejahtera, embodies the spirit of a balanced well-being that co-exists with common shared values and prosperity. In the context that extends above individuals, organizations and society, the philosophy of sejahtera takes into account all aspects working together in a social ecosystem. The redundancy of sexual education is no longer relevant in today’s progressing world of knowledge and awareness. The psychological point of view comes into the picture when the human self embarks on a journey of self exploration, developing an affinity for wanting to know more. With in curiosity for life comes taking precautions in order to let unwanted consequences go astray which in turn strikes that balance of well-being that the philosophy of Sejahtera encapsulates in order to induce young and bright individuals who can think and act independently and responsibly in our journey of a developing nation growing in tandem with the ideals of Wawasan 2025.

FALSAFAH DAN ISU SEMASA

FINDINGS & DISCUSSION