Parents and guardians must take the lead in talking to their children about sex and other taboo subjects, even if the conversations feel uncomfortable, to protect them from online sexual predators, experts have warned.
Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF) chief executive Mediha Mahmood stressed that open discussions about topics such as sex, sexual arousal, attention-seeking behaviour, and risky online activity are crucial. “If predators aren’t shy to bring these topics up, we can’t afford to be. Avoiding the conversation because it’s awkward doesn’t protect children — equipping them does,” she said.
The call comes amid rising concerns over online child exploitation. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri noted that such cases have reached alarming levels, exceeding the previously reported 100,000 incidents per year. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi highlighted that advances in artificial intelligence have increased both the scale and sophistication of online threats against children.
Mediha emphasised that children need real digital skills, rather than fear-based advice or warnings against talking to strangers. She also called for stronger collaboration between law enforcement and technology companies to prevent cases from falling through jurisdictional gaps.
“There’s no single magic button to completely prevent online child sexual abuse. Prevention has to cover the whole ecosystem,” she said. “Platforms need to stop treating safety like an optional upgrade and make it the default, with measures such as age checks, tighter privacy settings for kids, smarter detection of grooming patterns, and faster content takedowns.”
Child rights activist Datuk Dr Hartini Zainudin echoed these concerns, urging digital platforms to incorporate in-built safety features and stronger age-appropriate privacy protections. “We are facing a global tsunami of sexualised content, pornography, violence, and misogyny. This shapes attitudes, especially among boys and young men, long before they receive healthy, rights-based sexuality education. Without guidance, some cross boundaries and push these behaviours onto children,” she said.
Hartini also highlighted the importance of strict legal enforcement. Online offences under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and related laws must be treated as serious crimes, with sentencing reflecting the scale and lasting harm of abuse, particularly when hundreds or thousands of images are involved. She called for organised online abuse rings to be investigated as serious organised crime, including asset forfeiture and money-laundering probes where relevant.
Additionally, Hartini stressed the need to improve protections for child witnesses, including remote testimony and trauma-informed procedures, to ensure cases reach conviction. “Perpetrators feel the risk is low and the gains are high. We have to reverse that equation,” she said.
