KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Children must be educated on their basic rights not only to protect themselves but also to allow them to develop into thinking adults.

Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chairman Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman said the exercise of those rights, however, had to be within limitations.

"Children should be given the freedom of expression and the freedom to seek and receive information.

"The freedom to express themselves doesn't only facilitate thinking, but enables them to voice their problems and frustrations and to (seek help) for any injustices inflicted on them," Abu Talib said.

In contrast, he added, students tend to suppress their frustrations when freedom of expression is frowned upon.
"They reach a point when problems are expressed in the form of hatred, physical violence or even murder," he said in his opening address at Suhakam's 'Symposium on the Rights of the Child' yesterday.

Speaking to the Press later, Abu Talib however stressed that children's rights were subject to Asian rules of decorum.

"Asian youths have always been brought up to respect their elders, so the exercise of their rights doesn't mean that can defy or rebel against their teachers or parents," he said.

"There are always limitations. Our children cannot totally emulate the west."

Children, Abu Talib said, also enjoyed the right to the development of their personality, talents and mental and physical abilities as stated in Article 29 in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"It is imperative that children with academic excellence be appropriately rewarded but the same recognition should also be given to those with talents in the arts, music and those in the mechanical and technical fields."

The Education Ministry's director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said the government recognised the right of every child to education, including disabled and "special" children.

"Specific education programmes have been drawn up not only for children who are eyesight, hearing or physically impaired, but also for children in other categories.

"Children who are dyslexic, autistic or classified as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) improve greatly after they are integrated with regular children," he said in his speech read by his deputy Azizah Abdul Ghani.

Alimuddin called on teachers to be sensitive to the rights of all children.

"Not only will understanding children's rights benefit their students, it will also protect the teachers in carrying out their duties," he said.