18/07/2025

FRIDAY | JULY 18, 2025

3 Call for tougher measures after alleged infant rape

Sexual abuse intensifies push for child protection laws Ű BY HARITH KAMAL AND QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com PETALING JAYA: As children face growing risks in an increasingly digital world, the urgency to strengthen child protection in Malaysia has never been clearer, especially following the purported sexual abuse of an infant. The case, disclosed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Wednesday, has sparked national outrage and prompted renewed discussions on how Malaysia can better safeguard its most vulnerable. Universiti Teknologi Mara Social and Policy Studies lecturer Prof Dr Yarina Ahmad said the crime is not only heinous but a symptom of deeper, long-standing social failures. “This is truly horrifying and deeply upsetting. It’s difficult to comprehend how anyone could commit such an inhumane act. “The issues are not new. They’ve been happening for many years but often escape public attention because many cases go unreported.” Yarina pointed to modernisation, digital exposure and a growing demand for exploitative content, particularly on the dark web, as driving forces behind such crimes. “Unfortunately, there are those who produce and distribute abusive content to meet this demand, often for financial gain.” She emphasised that greater public awareness is crucial to drive action and protect children. She also called for improved psychological support and a long-overdue update to child protection policies, noting that Malaysia still operates under a framework introduced in 2009. “While the legal structure exists, mental health and trauma services remain limited, especially in rural areas such as Sabah, Sarawak and the northern states.” Universiti Putra Malaysia senior lecturer Dr Mohamad Naqiuddin Dahamat Azam said the case “warrants immediate and multidimensional intervention”. “The fact that a crime of this magnitude could occur and be monetised highlights deep systemic vulnerabilities,” he said, warning that unchecked exploitation can inflict lasting psychological harm and lead to societal desensitisation. He stressed the need for early psychological screening and structured rehabilitation programmes for individuals at risk. “Psychology must play a central role in identifying red flags, especially signs of harmful sexual interest, followed by long-term monitoring and evidence based rehabilitation,” he said, urging stricter safeguarding protocols within child-related institutions and stronger public education on abuse prevention. University of Nottingham Malaysia associate professor Dr Siti Khadijah Zainal Badri said the psychological impact of such crimes extends beyond the victim. “Such acts can leave the public feeling powerless. It undermines trust in society and fosters a bleak worldview. “The danger lies in a society that becomes less responsive and increasingly passive, where violence and exploitation are consumed as content rather than condemned as crimes.”

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

safeguards. “The incident exemplifies anomie, a term coined by Emile Durkheim, to describe the collapse of societal norms and moral guidance. “When individuals become disconnected from communal values, they may be drawn to deviant subcultures, particularly online, that normalise or even commodify extreme sexual violence.” To address this, Velan called for multi-layered reforms – from families and schools to community institutions and national policies. “Families must be supported through parenting education, mental health services and economic stability. “Schools should include comprehensive values and sexuality education to foster responsible digital behaviour from a young age. “Community groups, religious institutions and civil society must work together to rebuild a culture of care, vigilance and moral accountability.” Velan also urged stronger action on digital literacy and online safety. “A national strategy is urgently needed to regulate online content. “This includes stricter surveillance of child exploitation networks and public education campaigns on the dangers of the dark web,” he said. into a preventive health gateway and a national digital gateway. “We are also pleased to announce that the Health Ministry and Google are now exploring a strategic collaboration to use AI to address the country’s key health challenges. “It is a major step towards making Malaysia the leader in AI based digital health in the region,” he said. Dzulkefly said as the 2025 Asean Chair, Malaysia is committed to driving regional cooperation in health data governance, ethical use of AI and cross-border digital capacity building. On Wednesday, the health minister officiated at the Precision Public Health Asia 2025 Conference which brought together over 500 delegates from across the region, eight technology exhibitors, and regional health leaders who share the aspiration of building a data driven, personalised and people centric health system. “Precision Public Health is no longer a concept of the future. It is being implemented in Malaysia. And it will be a pillar for a more sustainable, equitable and competitive health system,” he said. – Bernama

o Sociologist proposes chemical castration, urges holistic reforms to address moral and societal breakdown

PETALING JAYA: A crime almost too horrific to name – a three month-old infant allegedly raped. As public outrage deepens, a sociologist is calling for chemical castration to be introduced in Malaysia, arguing that the justice system must respond with equal force to the unimaginable violence inflicted on children. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia senior lecturer in anthropology and sociology Dr Velan Kunjuraman said such a measure reflects both the severity of such offences and growing public frustration at their recurrence. Chemical castration involves administering medication to suppress libido and sexual activity without surgically removing sexual organs. Dr Velan said the measure is not unprecedented, with several countries having introduced it in response to similar crimes. “South Korea became one of the first Asian countries to introduce chemical castration for repeat child sex offenders in 2011. “Poland and Russia have provisions for mandatory chemical castration in certain child abuse cases. In the United States, states such as California and Florida permit it for repeat offenders.

ethically robust framework. “It would need to be carefully regulated, medically supervised and embedded within a rights based legal structure to ensure justice and due process are upheld.” He also warned against viewing punitive measures as the sole solution, urging society to confront the deeper sociological roots of such crimes. Commenting on the case revealed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Wednesday, Velan described it as both a criminal act and a profound societal tragedy. “This heartbreaking and deeply disturbing case involving the sexual abuse of a three month-old infant is not only a criminal act – it’s a profound social tragedy. “From a sociological lens, it reveals a society grappling with deep-rooted moral decay and social deviance.” Despite Malaysia’s religious and culturally conservative values, Velan said the persistence – and apparent escalation – of such heinous crimes signals a breakdown in moral and social

“Indonesia also introduced it as part of its Criminal Code amendments in 2016 following a series of brutal child rape cases,” he said. Malaysia, to date, has not adopted chemical castration. Current punishments focus on imprisonment, caning and mandatory registration in the sex offender registry. “Although the idea has periodically surfaced in public discourse and even in Parliament, especially following high-profile cases of child sexual abuse, it remains unlegislated,” Velan said. From a sociological perspective, he said, chemical castration could serve both symbolic and functional purposes in preventing abuse. “Symbolically, it sends a strong message that society will not tolerate the sexual exploitation of children. “Functionally, for repeat offenders or those with diagnosed sexual disorders, such a measure may reduce the risk of reoffending.” However, Velan stressed that any implementation must be grounded in a legally sound and

Health Ministry embraces AI to boost clinic efficiency KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 156 health clinics have been equipped with a cloud-based content management system, with 70% of the patients being treated in less than 30 minutes. In a post on Facebook, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the achievement was partly due to the artificial intelligence (AI) digital reforms that his ministry is currently implementing. He also said the first phase of the Electronic Medical Record system has been completed, involving five million prescriptions, 20 million vaccination records and one million dental records. Additionally, he said MySejahtera has now developed

More than 100 health clinics have been equipped with the cloud-based content management system under the Health Ministry’s AI digital reforms plan, said Dzulkefly. – SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN/THESUN