Women Ministry works with Bukit Aman to investigate teens as young as 16 held in terror plot arrests
KUCHING: The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has confirmed it is working in close coordination with the Royal Malaysia Police to investigate cases involving minors who were allegedly implicated in terrorism plots in Peninsular Malaysia.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, speaking at a Ramadan event in Kuching, said her ministry is treating the matter with both urgency and sensitivity given the young ages of those detained.
She stressed that the ministry would not rely on social media accounts of the incidents, and that a thorough investigation alongside police was essential.
“Those who were arrested in the alleged terrorism plots included very young teens.They are only minors,” Nancy said.
“We want to find out what are the actual roles of these minors in the alleged plots.
“We will work very closely with the police investigators on these.”
She also cautioned against drawing conclusions based on unverified reports circulating online.
“We cannot depend on what we hear or read from social media. Cases such as these are serious, and since they involve minors, they must be investigated even more thoroughly,” she added.
Bukit Aman, the national police headquarters, had previously confirmed the arrest of a group of male suspects from the peninsula, including teenagers as young as 16, in connection with alleged plans to carry out terrorist attacks.
Several of those detained fall below the legal age of 18 and are accordingly being held under the provisions of the Child Act 2001.
Nancy said her ministry’s involvement is guided by its mandate to safeguard the welfare of children, even in cases involving serious criminal allegations, and that the sensitivity of the matter demanded careful handling at every stage of the investigation.
