Malaysia amends Online Safety Act 2025 after over 1.47 million child sexual abuse material files were detected during enforcement operations.
PUTRAJAYA: The government is stepping up efforts to strengthen online child protection through amendments to the Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025 following a rise in digital sexual crimes involving minors, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said the issue is being taken seriously, with coordinated efforts involving multiple ministries and agencies.
“We are amending the ONSA 2025 to enhance online safety protections, especially for children.
“We are also exploring the establishment of a registry for individuals involved, but it is not an easy process,” she told reporters after launching the “A Journey of Malaysia’s Participation under the Convention on the Rights of the Child” ceremony here today.
She added that discussions have been held with several ministries, although no firm decisions have been made as certain procedural matters still need to be addressed.
“We have had engagements with relevant ministries, but nothing concrete has been finalised yet.”
Nancy said the initiative comes amid growing concern over online child sexual exploitation, including the circulation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
She was responding to questions regarding the alarming increase in such cases, with more than 1.47 million CSAM-linked digital files detected during four major enforcement operations between 2024 and April this year.
In another development, Nancy said discussions are also ongoing regarding the establishment of a sexual offenders registry system to strengthen vetting processes involving individuals working with children.
She stressed the need for stricter action against child sexual offenders following a rise in cases involving minors.
However, she acknowledged that implementing such a system would involve multiple ministries and human rights considerations.
“Anyway, we will not stop. We will do our best to make sure that we achieve what we really want to do for the sake of children’s rights.”
Nancy was commenting on a recent case involving a 41-year-old government school teacher who claimed trial at the Sessions Court in Seremban to five sexual offence charges involving her 14-year-old student.
She said authorities and agencies involved must not take such cases lightly as they could have long-term impacts on child victims.
“I’m also surprised. I have mixed feelings about that because I’m a mother and also a grandmother.
“They have to do something because this is not very good for the child.
“This is really a bad experience for the child and I do not know how it is going to affect his future,” Nancy said, stressing that cases involving children should not be sidelined or ignored.
