The proactive measures taken by law enforcement in response to the alarming rise in online child grooming activities is commendable. The discovery of multiple social media groups dedicated to this heinous behaviour is a stark reminder that we must remain vigilant in safeguarding our children. With reports indicating that these groups have operated for years, with one group since 2014 which went undetected, and boast thousands of members, it becomes apparent that the issue extends far beyond what has been reported. 

A private group created in May 2014, sighted by the New Straits Times (29 Oct 2024) report, was dedicated to primary schoolchildren, had around 4,600 members. Its profile data showed that it had welcomed almost 80 new members over the past week. Another private group, which had in excess of more than 6,100 members, was set up three years ago.

The true extent of child grooming / sexploitation online has yet to be fully uncovered perhaps due to privacy settings or in the dark web. Many cases go unreported out of fear and shame.

The actual figures would be predictably much higher. Currently, the statistics stand at an alarming 18,326 child victims of crime from 2018 until 30 Nov 2023, of whom 81 cases were categorised as child grooming and another 92 involved child sexual abuse material as recorded by the Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division of Bukit Aman's Criminal Investigation Department.

It is crucial for parents, guardians and children to be aware of what their underage children and students are engaging or assessing with online, or who they are meeting outside school and home. Monitoring their browsing habits and social media interactions besides educating them to look out for signs of child grooming can help prevent more minors from falling victims to paedophile predators. Most importantly, support and encourage youngsters to lodge a police report and not fear disgrace or retribution.

We cannot afford to allow the existence or pervasiveness of a local Richard Huckle in our midst. We need to unite as a community to ensure that our children are safe from child grooming, sexual exploitation and abuse. We encourage all parents, guardians and educators to take an active role in their children’s online lives and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities immediately.

The collaboration between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the police is vital in tackling this issue effectively. Society needs to collectively combat this threat and foster a safer online environment for our children. Vigilance needs to be prioritised as every minor deserves to be safe from harm.

Ivone Low Yi Wen
Beliawanis MCA National Chairperson

29 October 2024

-MCA Comm-