5/09/2025

FRIDAY | SEPT 5, 2025

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Foundation sounds alarm over gaps in child protection

are brought to justice. “Another hard truth is that while laws and court procedures have been updated since 2017, victim support has barely improved. Malaysia still relies heavily on NGOs, which operate with minimal government aid or funding.” Srividhya outlined urgent steps, including never sharing or forwarding child sexual abuse material and reporting it immediately to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children or the Internet Watch Foundation’s Report Remove service, and encouraging schools and communities to make reporting routine. She also urged widespread training to help people recognise and report abuse, making workplaces and tech platforms safer, providing greater support for NGOs and placing children’s safety at the heart of policymaking. “The adage that it takes a village to raise a child is truer now than ever. We must educate all levels of society on child protection, teach children their rights and ensure everyone knows when and how to raise the alarm if a child is at risk,” she said.

o Advocate group calls for stronger social work, community awareness and prevention first policies in wake of systemic failures revealed in paedophile syndicate case

Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

also hampered by misconceptions. “Officers often believe they must first identify or interview a child in a child sexual abuse material before acting, but the law does not require this. “We also miss obvious touchpoints. Every baby in Malaysia receives free vaccinations under the National Immunisation Programme, which could help detect neglect, fake identities or trafficking risks if frontline staff were properly trained to respond.” Srividhya stressed that protecting children and preventing opportunities for abuse should take priority over merely catching predators. Frequent officer transfers, she said, erode expertise, while a lack of trained frontliners means laws such as the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (SOACA) 2017 are under utilised. “Public reporting is also hampered by complex procedures

PETALING JAYA: They may be too young to understand or recall but infants who are sexually abused carry the trauma in their bodies and brains for life, said child clinical psychologist Dr Noor Aishah Rosli ( pic ). “Sexual abuse of an infant is extremely harmful. A two-month-old cannot understand or remember the event, but their body and brain register extreme stress, pain and violation. “Immediate effects include injury, disrupted feeding and sleep, and intense physiological stress.” Noor Aishah said trauma at such a young age can derail attachment, emotional regulation, trust in adults and healthy development. Warning signs may include fearfulness, regression, sleep disturbance or aggression. She said recovery is possible with stable caregivers and trauma-focused interventions such as play therapy or child–parent psychotherapy. However, early abuse raises the risk of anxiety, depression and relationship difficulties later in life. “Children without early intervention face higher risks of mental health and relationship problems, although support later in life can still help them grow into healthy adults. Trauma does not define destiny,” she said. While Malaysia has skilled professionals, Noor Aishah said services for severe infant abuse remain uneven and often unavailable outside major cities. She warned that many counsellors lack experience with infants and children under five, leaving a serious gap in therapy options. “The public often underestimates the long-term harm, focusing on visible injuries while overlooking hidden developmental and mental health effects. “This leads to underfunding, delayed referrals and inadequate follow-up care.” She called for a coordinated national response involving medical, psychological, social and legal services. “This should include trauma-focused therapy, multidisciplinary child protection teams in every state, frontline worker training, stronger reporting pathways with privacy safeguards and support for caregivers to ensure children do not “fall through the cracks”. – By QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI Infant sexual abuse leaves lifelong scars: Psychologist

PETALING JAYA: Infants sold like goods, their births falsified, sexually abused and exploited for profit – Malaysia’s child protection system is struggling to shield its most vulnerable, warns the Child Rights Innovation and Betterment (CRIB) Foundation. The alarm follows a shocking case uncovered through Ops Pedo, in which police rescued three children and two infants allegedly abused to produce photos and videos for a paedophile syndicate. The material was circulated online for money, rewards and exchanges among group members. The victims, aged between two months and five years, were also believed to have been sold through social media. Pregnant mothers were allegedly offered between RM1,500 and RM3,500, with syndicate members even covering hospital delivery bills. CRIB co-chairperson Srividhya Ganapathy (pic) said the case reflected shortcomings across multiple agencies. “This is a clear example of how our child protection mechanisms fail children at every turn, from civil registration, health and welfare, to policing, immigration and even online platforms. “We have reactive solutions that emerge only after a new case sparks public outrage. But these responses are rarely nuanced, researched or collaborative. They are often rolled out simply to say there was a problem but it has been fixed and it’s time to move on.” She noted that despite Malaysia’s upgrade to Tier 2 in the US Trafficking in Persons Report last year, gaps persist in an overstretched welfare system with too few trained staff. The long-awaited Social Workers Bill, she added, still fails to certify public social workers. Aside from that, enforcement is

and fear of backlash, leaving many cases unreported,” she said. She urged a systemic overhaul, starting with lawmakers. “While progress has been made in strengthening laws, resistance to expert advice remains. Too many consultations are done superficially, which means we are not getting the best systems possible.” Malaysia, she stressed, must honour its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protect all children, regardless of whether their abusers

Srividhya stressed that protecting children and preventing opportunities for abuse should take priority over merely apprehending predators. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

Schools to install CCTV systems in hostels nationwide KOTA BHARU: A total of 200 schools with hostels nationwide will soon be fitted with closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras under a RM3 million allocation, said Education director-general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad. stages, based on the needs and student numbers at each school. “Larger hostels with more students will be given priority,” he told reporters after opening the 63rd National Education Management Conference yesterday.

now, there are no plans to hire retired army or police personnel. “Since hostels are part of an educational institution, the role of teacher wardens remains crucial. “When wardens are also teachers, they can plan educational activities for students. “There is also a suggestion that these wardens should only teach four to five hours a week, with the rest of their time devoted to hostel supervision,” he said. – Bernama

“We cannot install them arbitrarily, including in toilets. We do not want to compromise privacy and as there are laws to observe, we are being very careful.” Mohd Azam also revealed that the ministry plans to increase the number of hostel wardens, following a proposal from the Malaysian School Principals Council. “For student safety, the government will do its best. For

He said the move aims to enhance student safety in school compounds, particularly in hostel areas. Mohd Azam said CCTV installation would be carried out in

He added for government schools, the management would seek expert advice on the placement of cameras in dormitories.