Malaysia’s recent teen stabbing case has exposed deeper gaps in youth mental health, digital pressures, and the disconnect shaping young people’s emotional lives today.
On the morning of 14 October, in Bandar Utama, Malaysia, a 14-year-old male student stabbed another student, a 16-year-old girl he was reported to have feelings for, during school – and the brutality of the event shook the nation.
Yet, this is only the most recent case in an all-too-long line of teen violence plaguing the country these last few months, following the gang rape of a 15-year-old in a Melaka school, and the assault of a 13-year-old Sabah student.
The male student was known to be quiet, with no former disciplinary issues, and little explanation as to what drove him to such extremities – other than “emotion” and “social media”. Even as details of the attack remain unsettling, the underlying message is clear. This isn’t just another consequence of bullying or a one-off example of one’s degraded mental health.
Something is very wrong.
As deeper, more complex issues about the values of society are being brought to light, Malaysians are forced into confronting one overarching question: what are they neglecting in the mental health of their youths?
Signs of a Troubled Teen
As with many similar cases of adolescent violence, judging its true cause is a gruelling task. Even as emotional and situational triggers are pinpointed, what matters most is that it has more than one influence.
And the most revealing piece of evidence was a letter handwritten by the perpetrator himself.
It is oddly filled with terms associated to gaming and digital culture, and discloses the isolation felt of a young man. It’s a chilling insight into his state of mind, and what it highlights is a dissociation to reality, and a desperate attempt to regain spiritual ground – even at the highest cost.
But how did he get there?
The Impact of Video Game Violence
Whether violent video games can contribute to teen aggression has been an ongoing debate. Even as some studies declare a clear correlation, others are more sceptical of this connection.
Regardless, being in constant view of violence can desensitise one’s mind to aggression, particularly during a time when the formation of their character is still in flux. With the engagement required of videogames – in which you don’t just witness violence, but enact it – the effect can go as far as altering their perception of conflict resolution, and reinforcing negative coping mechanisms, especially for those who already have pre-existing emotional or psychological issues.
The Overexposure to Social Media
This desensitisation can also develop as a response to social media.
In the hyperconnected world of today, social media plays an enormous role in shaping adolescent identities and behaviours. Such platforms can amplify the pressures adolescents face by creating an environment where appearance and social validation are more valued than emotional wellbeing – which means that at times, cyberbullying runs rampant, and we get content that glorifies contemptible acts.
“The problem with social media and online exposure is that there is no real gatekeeping that takes place. Anyone at any age would have access to a plethora of information, behaviour and social actions at any stage of their lives,” said Dr Joel Low, executive committee member of the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology, in The Straits Times.
Research has shown that it can heighten mental distress and self-harming behaviours among teens. At the very least, it has the power to exacerbate feelings of anger and isolation in the more vulnerable.
A Reserve of Dissonance
Even as modern technology is designed to connect us, it has also led to a growth in loneliness, and a dearth of meaningful connections. Feeling a sense of anxiety or detachment from others isn’t an uncommon experience for youths.
And for those who don’t feel grounded, or lack strong social support, they might develop emotions that can manifest in atypical behaviours, including violence.
What We Can’t Assume
It seems easy to tag the perpetrator’s acts to online culture; words like “social media” and “violent video games” have practically become buzzwords in the explanation of the rise of mental disorders in our digital age.
But remember – not everyone who plays hours of first-person shooter games, or spends long periods of time scrolling through posts, or even feels a heightened sense of loneliness, decides to pick up a blade. For someone so young, who is still growing and learning about the world, it feels almost discomforting to say that all the responsibility of his actions – and his emotions – lies on him alone.
As a person surrounded by students and teachers at school, and family members at home, was his turmoil so well-hidden that his condition just fell between the gaps?
And let us not forget about the weapons he had on him to commit harm: they were bought online, easily, with no regard for his age or purpose of use. Where were the controls?
Has society’s obsession with the convenience and escapism of virtual worlds driven youths towards destructive outlets? And how can the process be reversed?
Addressing Mental Health as a Society
Authorities are already working to improve the situation: the police have been increasing school patrols for greater security, and plans to set age requirements on social media platforms are currently in the making.
But this may not be enough.
As Dr Low cautions in reaction to the social media requirement: “The age limit will help, but it’s not going to stop it from going on because society is the way we are right now.”
This case underscores how factors associated with mental health are convoluted and interconnected, and resolving them requires targeting more than one potential influence or trigger event.
A holistic strategy is necessary, one focused on pulling in greater parental guidance and social engagement, as well as a reprioritising of emotional intelligence education in schools, rather than just academic performance. The most constructive approach is ultimately to build an ecosystem of prevention: emotionally-responsive environments where safety and security can be guaranteed.
Let’s look beyond sympathy, and embrace a new commitment to empathy and rehumanisation.
The time to start healing is now.
Header image source: Sinar Daily
External References
- CNA. (2025, October 18). Malaysian police to increase patrols in schools under ‘omnipresence’ strategy to curb juvenile crime, says Home Minister. Retrieved from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-police-patrol-schools-fatal-stabbing-5410686
- Greitemeyer T. (2019). The contagious impact of playing violent video games on aggression: Longitudinal evidence. Aggressive Behavior, 45(6), 635–642. Retrieved from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6790614/
- Hassan, H. (2025, October 13). Malaysia expels students accused in gang rape in Melaka school as case ignites outrage, debate. The Straits Times. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-expels-students-accused-of-gang-rape-in-melaka-school-as-case-ignites-outrage-debate
- Khalaf, A. M., Alubied, A. A., Khalaf, A. M., & Rifaey, A. A. (2023). The Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 15(8), e42990. Retrieved from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10476631/
- Pittaro, M. (2019, May 6). Exposure to Media Violence and Emotional Desensitization. Psychology Today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/the-crime-and-justice-doctor/201905/exposure-media-violence-and-emotional-desensitization
- Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2019). Violent video game engagement is not associated with adolescents’ aggressive behaviour: evidence from a registered report. Royal Society Open Science, 6(2), 171474. Retrieved from: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.171474
- South China Morning Post. (2025, October 15). ‘Heartbroken’ father of Malaysia school stabbing suspect laments son’s act. Retrieved from: https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3329064/im-heartbroken-my-son-did-malaysia-school-stabbing-suspects-father-says
- The Star. (2025, October 14). School stabbing: Victim rejected his feelings, claims friend. Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/10/14/school-stabbing-she-had-rejected-his-feelings-says-friend
- Whiting, J. (2025, September 4). 6 Reasons Youth Mental Health Is Getting Worse. Psychology Today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/love-lies-and-conflict/202508/6-reasons-youth-mental-health-is-getting-worse
- Zolkepli, F. (2025, October 15). Emotion, social media, possible influence in student stabbing case, says police. The Star. Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/10/15/emotion-social-media-possible-influence-in-student-stabbing-case-says-police
- Zolkepli, F., & Zack, J. (2025, October 14). Fourteen-year-old nabbed over fatal stabbing of girl in Bandar Utama. The Star. Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/10/14/fourteen-year-old-nabbed-over-fatal-stabbing-of-girl-in-bandar-utama
