KUALA LUMPUR (ANN/THE STAR) – The surge in missing children and child sexual abuse cases in Malaysia is deeply concerning, according to Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The founder and chairman of the Alliance for a Safe Community, a Malaysian non-governmental organisation focused on community safety and health, described the trend as a significant threat to the safety and well-being of children.
“Statistics show that many missing children are at risk of falling victim to exploitation, including human trafficking and sexual abuse,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“Parents, guardians and caregivers must be educated about the risks that children face and equipped with knowledge to identify signs of grooming or abuse,” he said.
Lee also called for community campaigns to stress vigilance both in public spaces and online. “Community campaigns should emphasise the importance of vigilance in public spaces and online,” he noted.
Additionally, Lee highlighted the urgent need for stronger legislation and enforcement in Malaysia. “Laws protecting children must be robust and rigorously enforced,” he said, urging for the mandatory reporting of such cases.
“Hotlines and digital platforms for anonymous reporting should be promoted,” he added.
“There needs to be digital safety and online monitoring as well. Parents must be educated on how to effectively monitor their children’s online activities,” he said.
Lee said it was also necessary to have comprehensive sex education in schools.
“They (schools) should implement age-appropriate sex education programmes that teach children about personal boundaries, recognising inappropriate behaviour and that they can report abuse without fear.
“There also needs to be dedicated task forces and resources to handle these cases,” he said.
He also said that the Federal Government should establish specialised units to handle missing children cases and combat child sex abuse. At the same time, adequate funding must be allocated for shelter homes, counselling services and rehabilitation programmes for victims.
Lee said it was important to foster community participation when it comes to such programmes.
“Neighbourhood watch programmes, community patrols and volunteer initiatives can act as a first line of defence in safeguarding children.
“We urge all stakeholders—parents, educators, policymakers, law enforcement and civil society—to come together in creating a safer environment for our children,” he said.
