A 15-year-old boy was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after sending obscene images to a female student through the TikTok application.
The teenager was detained at approximately 1:10 PM along a roadside in the Tawau district.
Tawau District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Jasmin Hussin, said the case came to light after the victim lodged a police report regarding the incident.
“The victim claimed the incident occurred at around 7:00 PM on April 29, when the 13-year-old victim was at a fast food restaurant in the district and received a message from the suspect through a TikTok account,” he said in a statement.
“The suspect not only sent obscene messages but also sent images of his genitals to the victim, causing her to fear for her personal safety,” he added.
Following the report, a team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Tawau District Police Headquarters conducted an operation and successfully apprehended the suspect.
“Police also seized a mobile phone believed to have been used in the incident. A check revealed that the suspect has no prior criminal record,” Jasmin said.
He confirmed the case is being investigated under Section 15(e) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Jasmin stressed that police will not compromise on any form of sexual crime, including those committed through social media platforms, and that stern action will be taken against any individuals involved.
He also advised parents to continuously monitor their children’s social media usage to prevent them from being exposed to cyber sexual crimes.
