Minister Rohani Abdul Karim said up to 80% of the time, the victims knew the predators, who could have been their parents, neighbours, relatives or siblings.

“Seventy to 80% of the time, the victims know the predator. Those who know the predator don’t report it. But now we are putting laws across where action will be taken against those who know of such a crime but do not report the case.

“The youngest was six months old. We need everyone’s support,” she said in reply to Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong) during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat.

Tan had asked about the number of cases that might have gone unreported.

Rohani said the number of child sexual abuse cases had dropped in 2014 and 2015, but did not disclose the reasons for the decline.

The second tabling of the Child Sexual Offences Bill will be carried out on April 3. The bill will include having people who do not report the wrongdoing as also committing a crime, by being seen as abetting the sexual abuse, and liable to be fined up to RM5,000.

The Child Sexual Offences Bill 2017 was tabled for the first time in the Dewan Rakyat last Tuesday.

Among others, the bill covers offences of child pornography, child sexual grooming and physical and non-physical sexual assaults.