More reports lodged against Johor student misusing AI
JOHOR BARU: More police reports have been lodged against the male teenager who allegedly uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create explicit deepfake images of his schoolmates and school alumni.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said that as of noon yesterday, 22 reports had been lodged by victims against the 16-year-old suspect.
“The suspect’s remand, which ends today, has been extended until this Tuesday (April 15) to assist with the ongoing police investigation,” he said here yesterday. Comm Kumar added that police were investigating how many of the doctored images the suspect had sold and whether other individuals were involved in the case.
Meanwhile, Young Malaysians Movement’s (YMM) organising secretary, Brevia Pan Woon Shien, said the case serves as a wake-up call for stronger digital ethics, education reform, and institutional accountability.
“This is not just a case of misconduct. It is an act of violence against individuals and a serious threat to safety and societal ethics,” she said when contacted.
Pan said the case highlighted significant gaps in digital ethics and sexual awareness education in schools.
“As technology continues to evolve, schools and families must take greater responsibility for educating youths about responsible usage and online behaviour.
“When technological advancement outpaces moral development, young people without a clear sense of boundaries may misuse these tools to harm others,” she added.
Mission to curb cyber crime: Teo (in white top) together with the six victims who have lodged a police report regarding the deepfake incident.
Pan, who is also Johor YMM president, commended the victims’ courage in speaking out, noting that their actions would empower others facing similar abuse.
Meanwhile, in a press conference at her Kulai MP’s office here, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the use of deepfake technology to fabricate and disseminate obscene images of students was a stark reminder of the urgent need for stricter digital safety protocols in all educational institutions.
She added that so far, 38 individuals have been identified as victims, with the youngest reportedly only 12 or 13 years old.
“The six individuals initially involved had just graduated from secondary school, but the scope of this incident is far wider and more disturbing.
“It shows just how serious this issue has become,” she said at the Kulai MP office in Taman Tropika, here, yesterday.
She said one of the most pressing issues to be addressed is the attitude and response of schools toward such complaints.
“With the rise of AI-generated deepfakes and explicit content, all institutions must take action. There is no reason private schools cannot adopt or tighten their SOPs,” she said.
Teo said that since the incident surfaced on social media, she has received numerous messages from others sharing similar experiences during their school years, highlighting that such misconduct was neither isolated nor new.
“This is not just a matter of technology abuse. It reflects a wider problem in how institutions respond to sexual misconduct in the digital age,” she said.
She referred to a circular issued by the Education Ministry in November 2023, which outlines clear procedures for school heads to follow in the event of a sexual misconduct report.
She also called for a broader definition of sexual misconduct that includes digital and non-physical abuse, in line with modern challenges.
“In today’s world, sexual misconduct is no longer limited to physical or verbal acts. It now includes digital violations, and this must be recognised in our laws and school policies,” she said.
Teo warned that failure to report sexual offences against children is in itself an offence under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a penalty of up to RM5,000 in fines.
She added that the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) was amended in 2024 to address the misuse of network facilities to distribute obscene content. Initially, eight police reports were lodged by victims against the suspect, which led to his arrest at around 5pm on April 8 in Kulai.
In a statement last Thursday, the school’s board of directors expelled the teenager in accordance with its rules.
