Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association president Siraj Jalil said the latest statistics on child porn cases, which rose by 139.3% from 2022 to 2023, was a cause for great concern.

Siraj said such cases were related to digital activity, and a lack of knowledge and literacy on using the internet could lead to users being exposed to pornography, even child porn.

He told FMT the digital literacy modules in schools should cover topics like ethics, mental health, as well as the legal repercussions offenders would face for offences.

Siraj also urged the government to carry out a survey on the ages of children with digital devices, pointing out that the minimum age for a minor to use social media is 13.

On Wednesday, the statistics department said sexual crime against children had increased by 26.5% from 1,239 in 2022 to 1,567 last year.

Child porn cases rose the most, followed by grooming (100%) and non-physical sexual assault offences (97%).

Alif Jasni, a senior lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia’s counselling department, urged parents to protect their children and safeguard their digital environment by checking on the websites they surf.

“Open discussions about sensitive issues must also be encouraged so that children feel comfortable to share any untoward experiences they may encounter online without feeling afraid,” he said.

He said the government should also work with tech firms to come up with ways to filter such content.