KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 – The Malaysian Mobile Phone Owners Association (Perbit) is not in favour of allowing students to use mobile phones in schools because it has more negative than positive effects.

Its president, Ali Ibrahim, said besides disrupting their studies, there was a possibility of students having phones with Internet access abusing it to watch pornographic materials in school. He said this could encourage unhealthy activities, as well as bring negative effects on the society.

He said students would feel that they were free to surf the Internet and to contact anyone they want to.

“It gives a negative impact on students as there is a tendency that they will be carried away by the various forms of entertainment which can be found in the telephone.”

“This may result in the students neglecting their studies,” he told Bernama here today.

On the justification that students should be allowed to bring their mobile phones to school for security reason, Ibrahim said schools should provide a special telephone room where students could contact their parents or guardians in case of emergency.

– Bernama