KUALA LUMPUR: The police took another vital step towards safeguarding children from predators by launching the Malaysia Internet Crime Against Children Investigation Unit (Micac).
The unit, which will be under the purview of the Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11), will oversee all Internet-related mediums of communication used by predators to upload, share and promote child pornography or the targeting of children.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd said it was high time the unit was formed to help protect innocent children from sexual predators.
“We can not deny the fact that the Internet holds tremendous potential for our nation’s youth and children.
“However, the misuse of the Internet to prey on them is a serious problem,” he said in a speech at the launch ceremony in Bukit Aman on Friday.
Comm Wan Ahmad Najmuddin cited multiple cases of paedophiles and other sex offenders in past years, including that of Richard Huckle, the British paedophile who was arrested in 2015 for preying on hundreds of children in Malaysia.
“There are many more examples of child sexual exploitation cases. Hence the idea of setting up Micac,” he said.
D11 principal assistant director Asst Comm Ong Chin Lan said that while the unit was officially launched now, her department has been actively monitoring and searching for child sexual predators online since 2014.
“The set-up of this unit is the next step in keeping our children safe,” she said.
The formation of the unit also saw liaison officers from foreign law enforcement agencies, like the Australian Federal Police, US Federal Bureau of Investigation, and US Homeland Security Department come forward to share information and brief Micac officers.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
