MALAYSIA is sleepwalking into a public-health disaster. HIV and AIDS, once in decline, are surging again. Yet authorities respond not with education or treatment, but with raids, fear and punishment. It is risking decades of progress.
This approach is not only ineffective, it is dangerous. It risks undoing decades of progress and pushing the epidemic further underground.
In the past, Malaysia successfully reduced HIV infections among people who use drugs through methadone therapy and needle-exchange programmes. But today, more than 95 per cent of new HIV cases are transmitted sexually, with young adults forming the fastest-growing group. This change requires careful, evidence-based action, not fear or moral panic.
The main problem is lack of knowledge — about how HIV spreads and about the effectiveness of modern treatment. Silence in homes, schools and community institutions worsens the problem, leaving young people unprepared.
In a digital age, where private encounters are easy, sexual-health education has not kept up. Many young adults only receive vague warnings, rather than practical guidance on prevention, testing and treatment. Ignoring this reality puts lives at risk.
The good news is that HIV is treatable. With antiretroviral therapy, people can live long, healthy lives. Yet stigma and outdated beliefs still discourage testing and treatment, allowing the virus to spread silently.
To reverse this trend, Malaysia must act immediately.
We should make HIV testing anonymous and stigma-free. Everyone should feel safe when seeking care.
We should provide clear, accurate information through schools, communities and trusted leaders. Compassion must replace fear and judgment.
We should upgrade sexual-health education. Young people need practical knowledge, not vague warnings.
We should put human dignity at the centre of all HIV policies. Shaming people has never stopped the virus.
We are at a critical point. If fear, stigma and raids continue to guide our response, HIV will spread further and silently.
This is not about morality. It is about public health, human rights and national responsibility. HIV spreads through ignorance. Our weapon against it is knowledge, courage and compassion. The longer we wait, the greater the cost in lives.