UP TO 15,000 reports related to sexual exploitation and crimes against children were recorded between 2021 and 2025.
Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said that based on data from the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the statistics serve as a warning to all parties about the threats posed in the digital world.
As Chairman of the National Social Council, he warned that such threats risked sneaking into the country's social space, including negatively impacting the younger generation, such as children.
"In the digital world, the challenges are becoming increasingly challenging. Money is easily lost due to scams, reputation is tarnished due to slander, and children can be exposed to harmful content.
"It is a reminder that today's social threats can enter the family space without us realising it," he said when speaking at the Launching Ceremony of the National Social Policy Action Plan 2026-2030 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today.
Also present were the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and the Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Touching on the National Social Policy Action Plan 2026–2030, Ahmad Zahid wanted it to be a bridge between policies that are formulated in line with the lives that the people are going through.
He added that it must ensure that assistance does not overlap, information is not cut off, vulnerable groups are not left out, and every intervention truly reaches those in need.
"Therefore, our shift must be clear from policy to action, from programmes to solutions and from assistance to empowerment. Because ultimately, social policy is only valuable when it can change the lives of the people," he said.
Commenting further on the increasingly complex social challenges, Ahmad Zahid said that the current landscape no longer moves in a simple line because it is interconnected.
He also did not deny that economic stress can lead to emotional stress, which can then trigger emotional stress that can potentially affect families.
"Fragile families can affect children... and children who are not well-guided will grow up in an environment that is more vulnerable to social risks.
"On the issue of mental health, for example, the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 gives a very clear warning. Almost one million adults in Malaysia suffer from depression.
"More worryingly, one in six children also face mental health problems. This is not a small number. This means at home, at school, at work and in our community. Some voices are struggling but are not always heard," he said. – May 7, 2026
