The government may introduce sex education in schools for children as young as four, a report said today.

A draft of the proposed National Sexuality Education will be sent to the cabinet soon and if approved, it could become a subject in schools within two years, The Star newspaper said.

The syllabus was drawn up by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the Education Ministry, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, non-governmental organisations and educational experts.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the syllabus would be holistic, covering not just the physical but also the cultural, ethical and human rights aspects of sexuality.

Among topics that will be covered are human development, relationships, marriage and family, interpersonal skills and sexual health and behaviour, she said.

From the age of four, children will be taught how to protect themselves from sexual predators while older kids will learn about reckless sexual behaviour and the dangers of sexually-transmitted diseases.

Lessons on love and marriage

They will be taught about physical and emotional changes during puberty, about friendship, love and marriage, on how to seek help if they face sexual harassment or abuse, the challenges of marriage and the rights of children, she added.

Malaysia is one of the world's most developed Islamic countries, but sex remains a taboo subject in a multiracial society where Muslim Malays make up just over half of its 26 million population.

The proposal for sex education comes amid rising rape cases. According to police statistics, the number of reported rape cases rose from 1,210 in 2000 to 1,354 in 2001 and 1,418 in 2002. Almost two-thirds of the victims were under the age of 16.