KUALA LUMPUR: Police are concerned how easily children can access social media and pornography, warning it is leading to social problems.
Speaking at the International Regulatory Conference 2024, federal police Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd said there was even a case of nine-year-olds raping a girl, also aged nine.
"Because of their age, there was no criminal liabilities, and no charge was made. The deputy public prosecutor was consulted, but no proof was presented.
"The incident happened last year and we did open an investigation paper. Based on our investigation, the girl consented to it (gang rape) as she wanted to repay a debt."
He said the girl had apparently broken an eraser she borrowed from a classmate.
"She needed to pay for the broken eraser lent by a friend, but she did not have money to buy one. Instead, she offered her body as a means to compensate.
"This is a new trend in the new generation," he told reporters on the sidelines of the conference here today.
Shuhaily also said rape cases had risen in general, but the number of rape cases involving minors had also increased annually.
"The numbers of cases involving underage victims are on the rise, increasing every year. We receive reported cases that may just be the tip of the iceberg.
"We can see (the rise) after Covid-19 pandemic because a lot of people were dealing through social media, and after it ended, everything (cases) went up," he said.