25/05/2026

MONDAY | MAY 25, 2026

5 Sexual abuse cases involving teachers trigger alarm

Preserve digital evidence, online

harassment victims told KUALA LUMPUR:

Online sexual harassment is becoming an increasingly serious concern, with victims urged to act quickly to preserve digital evidence as crucial material can easily be deleted or altered, said former Selangor Bar chairman Kokila Vaani Vadiveloo. The lawyer said the rapid growth of social media, messaging apps and other digital platforms has created new avenues for sexual harassment, ranging from obscene messages to sexual intimidation. “The sooner evidence is preserved, the stronger the legal position becomes because digital material can easily be deleted or altered,” she said during the ‘Paarvai’ talk show episode titled Sexual Harassment: Courage to Break the Silence, which aired on Bernama TV yesterday. Kokila said victims should prioritise their personal safety before preserving evidence such as screenshots, WhatsApp conversations, emails, voice recordings, CCTV footage, photographs and witness details, adding that electronic evidence may be admissible in court if its authenticity can be established. She said Malaysia’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022 defines sexual harassment as any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non-verbal, visual, gestural or physical, with the legal framework increasingly recognising that harassment can also occur in digital spaces. “Online harassment is recognised under Malaysian law. Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 may apply to obscene, offensive, threatening, or harassing communications made through social media, WhatsApp or online platforms.” Kokila said victims should not be discouraged from coming forward even in the absence of direct evidence, as courts may consider witness testimony, surrounding circumstances, patterns of behaviour and consistency of statements in assessing a case. She said online harassment can be just as psychologically damaging as physical harassment, as harmful content can spread rapidly and remain permanently online, exposing victims to emotional trauma, reputational harm and fear for their personal safety. She added that victims may lodge police reports when criminal conduct is involved, while workplace-related complaints can also be reported to employers, the Labour Department or the Tribunal for Anti-Sexual Harassment. – Bernama

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Any allegation linked to school staff demands immediate protection of child alongside swift reporting to authorities: Ex-Malaysian Bar chief

safer digital space. The government had previously decided that children under the age of 16 are not allowed to register or own social media accounts. Starting June 1, social media users will be required to upload official government-issued documents for age verification following the implementation of two new codes under the Online Safety Act. On Saturday, Communications Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching said among the documents that could be used for age verification are identity cards and passports. Ministry probes alleged misconduct case PETALING JAYA: The Education Ministry Integrity Unit has launched an investigation into an alleged sexual misconduct case involving a teacher at a school in Setiu, Terengganu, after footage related to the incident were circulated widely on social media. The Terengganu Education Department confirmed that the probe is underway and called on anyone with information on the alleged incident to come forward and contact the department directly. As a precautionary measure, the teacher has been reassigned to the district education office for the duration of the investigation. “Action will be taken against anyone found guilty,” it said. Authorities are investigating claims that the teacher subjected the child to inappropriate physical contact. In another case in Seremban, a 42-year-old teacher was charged in the Sessions Court with five counts of sexual assault involving her 14 year-old male student. The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges. sexual misconduct by teachers which have raised public concern over child safety in schools. In Setiu, Terengganu, a teacher has been transferred to a district education office while authorities investigate allegations of sexual misconduct that were widely shared on social media. The Terengganu Education Department also urged the public with information on sexual misconduct cases to come forward and assist investigations. In Johor, a male teacher accused of sexual misconduct involving a 12-year-old pupil was arrested and remanded for six days after the victim’s mother lodged a police report.

PETALING Sexual misconduct allegations involving teachers across several states have triggered renewed alarm over child safety in schools, with experts warning that any delay or scepticism in handling such claims could endanger vulnerable students. Former Malaysian Bar president Salim Bashir said educators occupy a position of trust and authority, and any allegation of abuse demands immediate protection of the child alongside swift reporting to the authorities. Salim said cases involving educators accused of abusing positions of authority and trust present complex challenges, but stressed that the foremost duty of schools and professionals is to safeguard the child and ensure immediate reporting to the relevant authorities. “A child’s allegation that he or she has been sexually abused by school personnel who are in a position of authority and trust presents significant challenges,” JAYA:

he said. He added that there is often a tendency to doubt allegations made by pupils, particularly those who may have academic struggles or disciplinary issues. However, he stressed that personal sentiments and assumptions must never override child protection obligations. “Regardless of individual or personal sentiments, when a child alleges and reports sexual abuse within or outside the school setting involving school staff, it is the incumbent duty of professionals to protect the child by alerting the family and reporting the incident to enforcement authorities.” Salim said Malaysia already has comprehensive laws to prosecute sexual offences against children, including provisions under the Penal Code and the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. He added that the Evidence of

Child Witness Act 2024 has further strengthened the legal process for young victims. He said one of the major barriers in the past was the fear experienced by children when required to confront alleged abusers in court. However, he added that current procedures now allow child victims to testify via video link, without having to face the accused in person. He added that recorded statements taken during investigations may now also be admissible in court, subject to evidential requirements. “The Social Welfare Department is also engaged to provide comfort and support to victims undergoing trauma, while legal companions are appointed to guide young victims through court procedures and processes,” he said. His remarks come amid a string of recent cases involving alleged

SHOCKING FIND ... Baling Fire and Rescue Department personnel were called to remove a partially decomposed body in an abandoned car at Jalan Jerat Cina in Tawar, Kedah. – PIC COURTERSY OF BALING FIRE AND RESCUE FACEBOOK PAGE

Under-16 social media plan seen as preventive measure KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed minimum age of 16 years for registering social media accounts is seen as a preventive measure with reasonable justification based on the principle of duty of care. compromised in accordance with the Evidence Act 1950. She said the evidentiary framework on platform liability is still evolving and is not as aggressive as those in the European Union or Australia,” she said. As such, she proposed that improvements should include introducing stricter statutory obligations on social media

Act 1998 and the Evidence Act 1950, covering digital evidence aspects. “However, given the scale of seizures involving up to 500,000 files related to child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) under the recent Op Cyber Guardian, the main challenges now lie in enforcement and digital forensic capabilities. “This also involves cross-border cooperation as well as the speed of digital platforms in responding to harmful content.” Zulaikha said the most critical aspect in modern cybercrime cases is ensuring the integrity and chain of custody of evidence is not

elements included the process of seizure and data extraction that complied with digital forensic procedures, the use of hashing techniques to verify the authenticity of files, and metadata verification by experts, Bernama reported. However, she stressed that age restriction alone is not sufficient without the support of effective verification mechanisms, parental controls and stricter enforcement of liability against platform providers. “Currently, Malaysia’s legal

Lawyer from Messrs Aimee and Zaim Arif law firm Zulaikha Mat Zin said this is necessary as minors are highly exposed to cybercrime risks such as sextortion and cyberbullying. She said Malaysia already has a comprehensive legal framework, including the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, the Communications and Multimedia

platforms and expediting take down mechanisms for CSAM content. Zulaikha also suggested that platform owners be required to implement mandatory reporting, in addition to enforcing heavier penalties against organised cybercrime syndicates to ensure a