Experts urge Malaysia to strengthen child protection as 10,904 cases were reported in seven months, including about 1,800 sexual abuse cases in six months.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must shift from reactive enforcement to a more integrated, prevention-based child protection system, experts said, following the recording of about 10,904 child protection cases between January and July this year.
Social Welfare Department (JKM) Selangor Children’s Division senior assistant director Roziah Osman said the figure included cases classified under Section 17 of the Child Act 2001.
She added that about 1,800 sexual abuse cases were reported in the first half of 2026.
“From January to July 2026, the latest statistics are around 10,904 cases reported to us.
“For sexual abuse, we have around 1,800 cases reported to us for half a year, 2026,” she said during the Protect plenary session at the National Child Protection Leadership Conference 2026 here.
Roziah said JKM’s immediate priority upon receiving a report was to remove the child from danger and ensure the alleged abuser could no longer access the victim.
She said child protectors would take victims to hospital for medical examinations, as JKM officers could only assess visible signs externally before doctors conducted further checks.
“At JKM, the first thing we do is remove the child from the situation. We pull out the child first.
“The next question is where to place the child. We need to make sure the child is safe and that the abuser cannot reach the child,” she said.
Roziah said the reporting and justice processes could also be distressing for children, particularly when they had to recount their experiences to multiple parties.
She said JKM officers and child companions would support children during court proceedings, including explaining the courtroom environment and the roles of those involved to help reduce their anxiety.
Criminologist and Universiti Malaya senior law lecturer Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid said official statistics reflected only reported cases, while the actual number of children experiencing abuse was likely higher.
“It is frightening to hear the statistics, but it is even more frightening to know that those are only the cases reported. The real figure is still out there,” she said.
Haezreena said Malaysia needed greater awareness and sensitivity towards sexual violence, noting that perpetrators were often people known to the child rather than strangers.
She said children might remain silent because the alleged perpetrators could be family members, breadwinners or individuals whom their families sought to protect.
“When the perpetrator is the father, grandfather, uncle or brother, the child may not want the person prosecuted. They know that if they complain, something will happen to the family.
“The family may then blame the child and say that because of the report, they are now facing hardship. That is what causes children to stay silent,” she said.
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission deputy managing director (development) Eneng Faridah said child protection efforts must also extend to the digital environment, as online spaces had become an integral part of children’s lives.
She said digital platforms should share responsibility for creating safer online environments and preventing children from being targeted by predators.
“The role of regulation now is not only about victim protection, perpetrators or criminal penalties. It is also about apportioning responsibility across the ecosystem.
“What role does the platform play? What role do the various parties involved in a child’s digital journey play?” she said.
Eneng said MCMC had conducted its Internet Selamat campaign in more than 10,000 schools last year and this year, adding that teachers and parents increasingly needed guidance on children’s online activities.