PUTRAJAYA: Police are expanding investigations into the activities of Geng Budak Sekolah, a group of minors involved in online sexual exploitation, with focus now shifting to those suspected of coordinating the operation.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic) said the case involving a 12-year-old girl who created and managed a website to market explicit photographs has revealed disturbing patterns of child exploitation.
“This is not a normal case. It involves children running platforms that require money transfers and digital coordination,“ he told reporters, here.
“Police must approach it carefully, working with psychologists and child specialists to avoid further harm to the victims.”
He confirmed that Bukit Aman’s D11 Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division is leading the investigation, with offences being pursued under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
The group is believed to have operated through a WhatsApp channel with more than 700 members, where images were circulated and transactions arranged.
Saifuddin said enforcement teams are tracking data trails and financial records to identify those profiting from the activities.
He compared the case to operations against so-called “swinger” groups, where investigators from the D7 Anti-Vice Division had infiltrated online networks and traced payments through mule accounts.
“In both cases, technology is being weaponised. The same investigative techniques used in adult exploitation cases can help uncover how children are being manipulated,“ he explained.
In Parliament yesterday, Saifuddin revealed that the 12-year-old had stopped attending school after her income from selling images online exceeded her parents’ combined earnings.
The case highlights growing concerns about children being exploited through digital platforms and the sophisticated nature of modern child exploitation networks.
Authorities are working to identify adult coordinators who may have been directing the operation while using minors as front-runners.
The investigation represents part of Malaysia’s broader efforts to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable children from digital predators.
