Selangor Journal
State executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari speaks to the media after visiting the Community Rehabilitation Centre in Kuala Kubu Baharu, Hulu Selangor, on May 7, 2024. — Picture by FIKRI YUSOF/SELANGORKINI

Selangor takes steps to tackle high sexual crime rate

By Danial Dzulkifly

SHAH ALAM, May 17 — Selangor has vowed to intensify efforts to curb the rise of sexual crimes in the state, with an emphasis on enhanced parental control and closer collaboration with social welfare agencies and non-governmental organisations.

This is after it was revealed the state has the highest number of sexual crimes in Malaysia.

State executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari said among the efforts to be taken by Selangor includes engaging with “first responders” within the community, such as parents and teachers, to create a safer community.

“For 2024, we plan to work with the Social Welfare Department and National Population and Family Development Board to conduct more talks within local communities.

“We will also place greater emphasis on safe internet usage and ‘safe touch’ by engaging with parents and teachers, as well as collaborating with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission,’’ she said when contacted.

Anfaal said these efforts are crucial to enhancing child protection, as they equip parents, caretakers and teachers, whom she called “first responders”, with better tools and information to address the issue.

She was responding to Bukit Aman’s Sexual, Women, and Child Investigation Division principal assistant director SAC Siti Kamisah Hasan’s statement yesterday that Selangor has the highest number of sexual crimes in the country over the past three years.

Kamisah said 90 per cent of the offenders were Malaysians, but did not provide detailed statistics on the exact number of cases.

She attributed Selangor’s high sexual crime rate to factors such as population density, economic activity, pressures of living and widespread internet access.

Anfaal said while sexual crimes are concerning, the number of cases recorded in the state is proportional to its burgeoning population.

“It is similar to the high number of divorces, among other social challenges, in Selangor, due to us having the largest population in the country,” she said.

Anfaal assured the state is doing its best to mitigate these challenges.

Asked if the country should consider banning children under a certain age from accessing the internet, Anfaal said there must instead be better parental control.

“Children are smart and they can find ways to get (internet) access, but parents have the means to control what content their children can consume.”

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