An Instagram video of a young father indulging in a high-risk sport with a two-year-old toddler in his arms has sparked outrage among parents.
In the video, Malaysian reality television star Redha Rozlan is seen jumping off a 200ft-high bridge in Kuala Kuba Bharu. But he is not alone. Rozlan is with his two-year-old daughter Mecca Mikaela.
The two then fall backwards into the gorge that is estimated to be a minimum 200 feet above ground. While in the video Mecca doesn't struggle or pull back as her father takes the plunge, commenters claim that she looked petrified.
Father bungee jumping risks daughter's life?
In fact, soon after Rozlan shared this video on Instagram, his comments section was flooded with backlash from angry parents.
Many claimed that he forced the two-year-old to perform a dangerous stunt. Others pointed to some very real bungee jumping risks. However, Rozlan was not affected.
"Mecca was wearing complete safety harness and gear"
In his response to the backlash, he argued that his daughter was wearing protective gear and even insisted on being a part of the stunt. He clarified the same in his Instagram post. "Mecca (was) wearing complete safety harness and gear," he wrote. His complete post said:
Chill guys
1. Mecca yang request untuk buat ropeswing. Tiada adegan paksa memaksa Untuk ini
2.mecca sangat enjoy dengan fisrt jump dan request for the second jump. Tapi bapaknya yang cuak
3.mecca wearing complete safety harness and gear
4.@rentas_adventures adalah certified ropeswing organiser.
5. Dont try with your kids if your kids not ready for this.
6. Watch enjoy , chill guys and please pergi try sendiri at least once
Rozlan did however stress that kids should be prepared. "Don't try with your kids if your kids not ready for this," he wrote.
No bungee jumping risks — "We adhere to safety requirements"
Even with his clarification, many parents raised vital questions about bungee jumping risks. Some even noted that even though Rozlan claimed that his daughter was well-protected, she did not wear a helmet.
The bungee jump operators claim she was protected nonetheless.
Mohd Shafiq Azmi, operator at Rentas Adventures, the group that organised the jump, told the Mirror, "The equipment is inspected by our staff before someone does the jump, which is from a height of 197 feet."
"I understand that safety is a concern as this activity is the first of its kind in Malaysia. We adhere to safety requirements especially in the equipment used such as the safety ropes by engaging qualified services providers," he noted.
Even with all these clarifications and explanations child's rights activists are insisting that Rozlan's act was reckless and lacked judgement.
The parents were risking their daughter's life, say experts
Child rights lawyer Goh Siu Lin was quoted by a leading daily as saying that the child's parents "lacked proper parental judgement."
"Rope spring jump is an extreme sport and dangerous, and there is a high likelihood of the motions in such an activity causing physical injury to her. I have never heard of any child of that age being allowed to participate in such an extreme sports," she said.
Human rights lawyer Andrew Khoo also concurred. He shared that safety requirements were "clearly breached."
The daily reported that "According to the lawyer, the parents, as well as any parties involved in having the child participate in such dangerous activities, can be prosecuted for allegedly 'putting the child in a dangerous situation that may cause physical or emotional injury to them.'"
While it remains to be seen whether Rozlan and the operators will be prosecuted, one thing is clear — children should be kept away from extreme sports.
Safety measures for extreme sports
Even if their kids want to try something new, parents must keep some key safety factors in mind.
- Gather information. Parents must gather all information about the sport including its dangers and consequences, then share the same information with their kids.
- Speak to the operators. They should also discuss the same with operators and check the safety regulations before letting the kids attempt anything extreme.
- Your own safety gear. If you feel that the sport is too extreme, you can provide your kids with your own safety gear and instructions. Share the same with the operators as well.
- Are they prepared? Ask them if they are mentally prepared and excited about the sport they are about to attempt. Maybe they are doing it under peer pressure. If so, you can counsel your kids to guide them in the proper direction.
Sources: Mirror, news.com.au