KUALA LUMPUR: A 24-year-old man was diagnosed with HIV at 18, following years of sexual activity that began at age 15.
In a special report by Buletin TV3, the man, known as Rashdan, revealed that during his teenage years, he frequently changed sexual partners and was unaware of the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases.
His lack of knowledge led him to engage in unprotected sex, increasing his risk of contracting HIV.
"I started meeting people through social media when I was 15, and what began with one partner quickly expanded to many. Sometimes I used condoms, but often I didn't," he said.
Rashdan also explained how he trusted older partners, assuming they knew what they were doing.
"Even though I knew there was a risk of contracting HIV, I didn't take precautions because I was still underage."
Now, Rashdan has to take antiretroviral medication daily for the rest of his life to manage the virus.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey: Adolescent Health Survey 2022 revealed that 154,646 Malaysian teenagers aged 13 to 17 have engaged in sexual activities, with 33 per cent, or 51,036, starting before the age of 14.
Shockingly, 88 per cent of active teenagers admitted to not using any form of contraception.