Zahid cites troubling regional data, calls for coordinated Asean measures as M’sia unveils stronger child-protection policy
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Asean must act with urgency to confront a surge in online child exploitation that is “moving faster than our ability to respond”, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi warned at the 2025 Asean ICT Forum on Child Online Protection yesterday.
Citing regional data, Zahid said early indicators were already “deeply alarming”, pointing to findings that 74% of internet users aged 15 and above in Singapore encountered harmful content in 2024.
In Malaysia, he said, about 33% of young people reported having been bullied online, while the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission logged some 9,000 cyberbullying complaints last year – averaging more than 27 cases a day.
“These figures are not harmless. They are symptoms that our safety nets are being stretched thin.”
Zahid said artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly magnified risks by allowing predators to clone voices, create deepfakes and manipulate children’s identities from anywhere in the world.
“A predator does not need a passport. A dangerous video does not stop at immigration. One harmful post can reach 11 Asean countries in minutes,” he said, stressing that digital threats now travel effortlessly across borders.
To counter this, he said Malaysia is strengthening its whole-of-government approach through updated cybercrime laws, expanded digital forensics capabilities and the integration of digital literacy from early schooling.
“We must protect children without limiting their potential. We do not want to disconnect them from technology – we want to empower them to use it safely and confidently.”
Zahid also outlined three regional priorities under Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship: a cross-border child-protection information exchange network, a shared digital forensic protocol and a unified Asean digital guardianship curriculum for schools.
“These are practical and high-impact measures that can be implemented quickly. If we move with courage today, our children will inherit a digital world that strengthens them and not scars them.”
Meanwhile, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, who launched the National Child Policy and National Child Action Plan 2026–2030, said the new roadmap establishes a clear national direction for safeguarding children’s rights and wellbeing in an increasingly digital environment.
Backed by 141 actions under 16 strategic priorities, she said the policy enhances protections against bullying, exploitation and emotional harm while boosting digital literacy, ethical technology use and resilience among children.
“This is a milestone that reflects Malaysia’s commitment to ensuring every child grows up in a safe, nurturing and empowering environment.”
Nancy said technology has reshaped childhood, presenting opportunities alongside risks such as grooming, misinformation and emotional fatigue in hyper-connected spaces.
“These challenges do not stop at borders and our solutions cannot stop at borders either. Protecting children requires collaboration across governments, industry, educators, communities and young people themselves.”
She urged Asean to deepen cooperation through existing regional frameworks, adding that the digital future children inherit must be built with responsibility, compassion and a shared sense of duty.
