THE Bill to prosecute child sexual offenders in and out of the country is getting one step closer with the tabling of the second reading in the august House.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the proposed amendment paves the way for authorities to go after not only Malaysians, but also permanent residents and individuals who ordinarily reside in the country, for offences committed overseas.
She said the Bill also seeks to extend legal protection to Malaysian citizens, permanent residents and children who ordinarily reside in Malaysia, regardless of where the offence takes place.
“The proposed amendment to Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 would expand the Act’s extra-territorial jurisdiction to reflect the increasingly cross-border nature of child sexual crimes.
“At present, the Act only allows offences committed outside Malaysia to be prosecuted as if they had been committed in Malaysia if the offender is a Malaysian citizen.
Azalina said the amendment, although brief, would have significant legal implications by enabling enforcement action in situations not covered under existing provisions.
“If you touch our children, you go,” she said, adding that Malaysia would show “no tolerance and no compromise” towards those who sexually exploit children.
Azalina also said the amendments were necessary as child sexual crimes had evolved significantly with digital platforms, social media and encrypted messaging applications creating new avenues for abuse.
Citing the Disrupting Harm Malaysia report by Unicef, Interpol and ECPAT International, she said more than 100,000 Malaysian Internet users, aged between 12 and 17, were estimated to have experienced online sexual exploitation or abuse within a year before the study was conducted.
She also cited Internet Watch Foundation data showing 16,238 reports of child sexual abuse material involving Malaysian children in 2024, a rise of more than 225% from the previous year, while another 12,656 reports were recorded in the first six months of last year.
More than 20 MPs took part in the debate with several calling for stronger enforcement and international cooperation to ensure the expanded law can be effectively enforced.
Sri Aman MP Datuk Seri Doris Sophia Brodie said child sexual crimes had become transnational, driven by social media, online gaming platforms and encrypted messaging applications.
“A child in Sri Aman, Kuching or Kuala Lumpur can be targeted by someone thousands of kilometres away,” she said.
Doris Sophia also urged the government to establish a dedicated multi-agency task force, strengthen cross-border investigations and enhance digital forensic capabilities to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated offenders.
Azalina is expected to deliver her winding-up speech today before the Bill is put to a vote.
