PETALING JAYA: A crime almost too horrific to name – a three-month-old infant allegedly raped. As public outrage deepens, a sociologist is calling for chemical castration to be introduced in Malaysia, arguing that the justice system must respond with equal force to the unimaginable violence inflicted on children.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia senior lecturer in anthropology and sociology Dr Velan Kunjuraman said such a measure reflects both the severity of such offences and growing public frustration at their recurrence.
Chemical castration involves administering medication to suppress libido and sexual activity without surgically removing sexual organs.
Dr Velan said the measure is not unprecedented, with several countries having introduced it in response to similar crimes.
“South Korea became one of the first Asian countries to introduce chemical castration for repeat child sex offenders in 2011.
“Poland and Russia have provisions for mandatory chemical castration in certain child abuse cases. In the United States, states such as California and Florida permit it for repeat offenders. Indonesia also introduced it as part of its Criminal Code amendments in 2016 following a series of brutal child rape cases,” he said.
Malaysia, to date, has not adopted chemical castration. Current punishments focus on imprisonment, caning and mandatory registration in the sex offender registry.
“Although the idea has periodically surfaced in public discourse and even in Parliament, especially following high-profile cases of child sexual abuse, it remains unlegislated,” Velan said.
From a sociological perspective, he said, chemical castration could serve both symbolic and functional purposes in preventing abuse.
“Symbolically, it sends a strong message that society will not tolerate the sexual exploitation of children.
“Functionally, for repeat offenders or those with diagnosed sexual disorders, such a measure may reduce the risk of reoffending.”
However, Velan stressed that any implementation must be grounded in a legally sound and ethically robust framework.
“It would need to be carefully regulated, medically supervised and embedded within a rights-based legal structure to ensure justice and due process are upheld.”
He also warned against viewing punitive measures as the sole solution, urging society to confront the deeper sociological roots of such crimes.
Commenting on the case revealed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Wednesday, Velan described it as both a criminal act and a profound societal tragedy.
“This heartbreaking and deeply disturbing case involving the sexual abuse of a three-month-old infant is not only a criminal act – it’s a profound social tragedy.
“From a sociological lens, it reveals a society grappling with deep-rooted moral decay and social deviance.”
Despite Malaysia’s religious and culturally conservative values, Velan said the persistence – and apparent escalation – of such heinous crimes signals a breakdown in moral and social safeguards.
“The incident exemplifies anomie, a term coined by Emile Durkheim, to describe the collapse of societal norms and moral guidance.
“When individuals become disconnected from communal values, they may be drawn to deviant subcultures, particularly online, that normalise or even commodify extreme sexual violence.”
To address this, Velan called for multi-layered reforms – from families and schools to community institutions and national policies.
“Families must be supported through parenting education, mental health services and economic stability.
“Schools should include comprehensive values and sexuality education to foster responsible digital behaviour from a young age.
“Community groups, religious institutions and civil society must work together to rebuild a culture of care, vigilance and moral accountability.”
Velan also urged stronger action on digital literacy and online safety.
“A national strategy is urgently needed to regulate online content. This includes stricter surveillance of child exploitation networks and public education campaigns on the dangers of the dark web,” he said.
