Police have acknowledged that enforcement gaps still exist in monitoring the online purchase of sharp weapons by minors, allowing some teenagers to obtain such items through digital platforms.
Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said several e-commerce platforms have tightened their purchasing requirements for sharp weapons, while the government is also working on introducing regulations related to minors’ access to social media.
However, he said a comprehensive enforcement approach would require time to be fully implemented.
“In my view, we are still in the process of ensuring minors do not have access, in line with the government’s efforts through the introduction of a new law.
“During this transition period, there may still be opportunities for suspects to obtain such weapons online,” he said during a press conference at the Selangor Police Contingent Headquarters on Thursday.
Previously, it was reported that the 15-year-old suspect involved in the stabbing of a schoolmate in Banting, Kuala Langat, had obtained the weapon through an online purchase.
Meanwhile, Shazeli denied claims that police visits and patrols at schools in Selangor had decreased, which could have contributed to the school stabbing incident.
He said School Liaison Officers (PPS) and patrol teams have continued monitoring schools since the directive was issued by the Inspector-General of Police last year, with no reduction in operations.
“In Selangor, police visits and patrols at schools are very good and have continued to increase. There is no such thing as reduced patrols or patrols becoming merely routine.
“In this case, the suspect may have taken advantage of an opportunity that existed. However, to say that police reduced patrols is not true. This has also been acknowledged by the Selangor State Education Department,” he said.
Shazeli added that police maintain close cooperation with the Selangor State Education Department at both state and district levels to share information related to school safety.
He said there may have only been some delays in the communication of information between relevant parties.
