More Students Willing To Discuss AIDS Openly, Says Ong

PETALING JAYA, May 11 (Bernama) -- Students in tertiary learning institutions are now more open in discussing HIV/AIDS related issues, thus breaking the old taboo to keep it discreet, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said Thursday.
He said students, including the public, were more keen and creative in organising programmes to disseminate vital information on the dangers of HIV/AIDS which is fast becoming a serious threat in the society.
"Earlier there were a lot of inhibitions to discuss in the public but of late we are seeing a paradigm shift among our students in the higher learning institutions," he said at the closing ceremony of the Inter-Varsity AIDS Conference at Universiti Malaya.
Ong said this was a positive indication of growing awareness among the younger generation on the disease which was prevalent among the younger set.
"Students (involved) should be given incentives, not in terms of money but some kind of merits for their volunteerism in organising HIV/AIDS programmes," he said.
Nine public higher education institutions participated in the four-day awareness promotion programme which ended Thursday.
Citing United Nation's statistics, Ong said some 40 million people had been affected by the disease worldwide, which indicates that HIV/AIDS were not confined to countries like Africa but it is a cross-border issue, which needs serious attention.