PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail yesterday revealed a disturbing case involving the rape of a three-month-old infant, which was allegedly filmed and distributed for sale.
He said he was briefed on the case at midnight – an unusual hour that, he pointed out, underscores the gravity of the incident.
“If a three-month-old baby is raped, filmed and the video is sold — that is absolute madness.
“It’s something beyond what any of us can imagine,” he said during the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly.
Saifuddin did not provide additional details, explaining that the briefing was preliminary and that investigations are still underway.
“This isn’t about common crimes like theft or fraud – those follow predictable patterns. “But when something like this happens, even once, it demands our full attention.”
He emphasised that the government’s immediate priority is to evaluate whether the police possess the capacity, resources and systems necessary to respond to crimes of such severity.
Speaking to reporters later, Saifuddin urged the media to approach the issue with care and avoid sensationalising it. “If this is widely publicised, it could spark unnecessary polemics, even though it may be an isolated case. That’s why I raised it in an internal context.
I hope the media will look beyond the headlines and appreciate the broader concern.”
He confirmed that no further information, including the identity or location of the victim, would be released at this stage.
At the same event, Saifuddin commended Malaysia’s intelligence services following the arrest of 36 Bangladeshi nationals suspected of involvement in a foreign militant network operating within the country.
“The success demonstrates the strength of our intelligence capabilities. Without it, the arrests would not have been possible.”
He made it clear that Malaysia will not tolerate its territory being used for terrorist recruitment or fundraising.
“Our enforcement agencies are resolute, Malaysia must not become a platform for terrorist activities. There is zero tolerance when it comes to terrorism.” The suspects were detained during three separate operations in Selangor and Johor between April and June.
Police believe the group had been attempting to recruit new Islamic State members from Malaysia’s migrant labour sector, targeting workers in factories, petrol stations and construction sites.
Recruitment efforts were also believed to have been carried out via social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram.
On another matter, Saifuddin confirmed that police have officially assumed leadership of the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) to bolster the country’s response to online financial fraud.
He said the decision, endorsed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was prompted by the growing scale and complexity of financial scams nationwide.
Previously, the NSRC functioned as a collaborative initiative involving the National Financial Crime Prevention Centre, the police, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), but operated without a designated lead agency.
“The NSRC’s 997 hotline now receives close to 500 calls daily. “According to the latest data from the National Social Council, reported losses have reached RM1.6 billion.”
Under the new structure, the NSRC will be managed by the police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department, with 139 new positions created to support
its expansion.
