WANITA MCA secretary-general Chan Quin Er has called for a child-centred response following the nationwide Ops Pedo Blitz, urging authorities to prioritise protection and rehabilitation for minors while pursuing adult exploiters to the fullest extent of the law.
The call follows a joint operation by Bukit Aman and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) that targeted online child sexual exploitation networks.
Among those arrested were eight teenagers aged between 13 and 17, some of whom are alleged to have produced animated sexual content for sale.
Chan, who is also the party’s publicity chief, said the arrests were deeply troubling and should prompt a thorough investigation into how the minors became involved.
“The immediate priority is to establish how these young people became involved,” she stated.
“We welcome any assessment already underway by police and welfare authorities, but it must be thorough, consistent and led jointly by Bukit Aman’s Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11), the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the Education Ministry, and qualified child psychiatrists and counsellors.”
She said the assessment should determine whether the minors had been groomed, coerced, exploited or manipulated, and whether they fully understood the nature and consequences of their actions.
Chan said children aged between 13 and 15 required particular attention, with investigators examining factors such as family hardship, school disengagement, lack of supervision, peer influence, online grooming, predatory networks and promises of gifts or money.
She proposed three key safeguards: comprehensive psychological, trauma and cognitive assessments; rehabilitation through counselling, family intervention, educational re-entry and Social Welfare Department (JKM) support where necessary; and stronger digital literacy and online safety programmes to help vulnerable youths recognise grooming and exploitation.
“Vulnerable minors should not be treated automatically as adult offenders,” she remarked.
At the same time, Chan stressed that accountability must extend beyond the children.
“Every adult, buyer, groomer or facilitator found to have induced minors into producing sexual content must be identified, investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law, including under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017,” she said.
She added that prisons and the justice system should distinguish between children who require protection and rehabilitation, and adults who exploit them for profit.
“The adults who prey on children deserve the full force of the law,” she said.
“The children deserve protection, rehabilitation and a genuine path back to a safe, normal life.” ‒ Sept 22, 2026
Main image: Kosmo
