KUALA LUMPUR: The police have received tens of thousands of IP (Internet protocol) addresses suspected of sharing child pornography from international authorities over the past six years.
However, due to a lack of manpower, the number of arrests and inspections carried out has been disproportionate in comparison.
Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11) principal assistant director Asst Comm Siti Kamsiah Hassan said that from the year 2017 up to March this year, police received 93,368 IP addresses suspected of being involved in the activity through the information sharing system comprising members such as Interpol, the FBI and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
She said due to the lack of trained staff to filter and scrutinise the information received, only 103 IP addresses were checked which led to the arrest of 50 suspects.
"The information received is examined by the Malaysian Internet Crime Against Children (MICAC) D11 investigation unit which currently only consists of three investigating officers with the rank of Inspector.
"As such, D11 hopes that the allocation announced by the government in Budget 2022 involving increase in staff and financial allocation can be channelled immediately, to ensure that this division can play a more effective role in tackling crimes involving children," she said recently.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said when tabling Budget 2022 in the Dewan Rakyat last year that a RM13mil allocation and 100 new posts will be provided for D11 to put a stop to any form of violence and crime against children and women.
ACP Siti Kamsiah said the working paper on D11’s plan to utilise the allocation was submitted to the Public Service Department in March, and the division is now waiting for feedback.
She said with the allocation, D11 plans to set up MICAC in each police contingent with at least one investigating officer compared to only three officers at Bukit Aman level at present.
The requirement is necessary as activities including surfing, uploading and downloading of child pornography have been increasing every year.
"According to the information we received, in 2017 only 46 IP addresses were suspected to be involved and it increased to 2,660 IP addresses in 2018; 9,017 in 2019; 18,508 in 2020; 48,752 last year; and 14,385 IP addresses in the first three months of this year.
"The number of arrests also saw an increase. From 2017 to 2019, only two individuals were arrested. This went up 22 in 2020 and 24 last year.
"In the first three months of this year, two people were arrested for engaging in such activities," she said.
"The increase is very worrying and there are even international enforcement agencies offering to cooperate with the Royal Malaysia Police to enhance enforcement against such activities.
"Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen D11 and MICAC units now, in terms of staffing and equipment, so that more data related to these activities can be analysed and... those involved (can be arrested)," she said.
Siti Kamsiah said the arrest of a 41-year-old pedophile from Lundu, Sarawak, who was sentenced to 48 years and six months in prison and 15 lashes last year, was made possible through such information sharing.
"The pedophile not only uploaded child pornographic videos on the dark web but also admitted to molesting and grooming children since he was a student at a local university in Selangor in 2002.
”He also admitted to sharing the obscene acts with other pedophiles on the dark web," she added. – Bernama
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