KUALA LUMPUR: Most cases of missing minors involve them running away from home rather than being abducted or kidnapped, says crime analyst Kamal Affandi Hashim.
Speaking on the New Straits Times podcast Beyond the Headlines, Kamal explained that one reason for the increase in missing person cases is minors running away to elope with a boyfriend.
"For instance, there was an 11-year-old girl who fled and called her father to announce her marriage.
"Given this situation, she falls within the 10 per cent of cases where the child remains untraceable as she has migrated," he said.
He also noted that minors often run away to avoid being found, primarily to escape abuse by parents or guardians or to avoid sexual exploitation.
Kamal further clarified the distinction between kidnapping and abduction, explaining that kidnapping typically involves a ransom demand for the victim's release.
In contrast, abductions usually arise from personal conflicts such as parental jealousy or custody disputes.
He said in cases of abduction, particularly with teenagers, the abductor is frequently someone the victim knows.
"The abductor is often someone who has had previous contact with the victim or has a connection with the victim's family. There is usually some form of relationship; they are not complete strangers," he concluded.
Last year, a total of 710 cases of missing children under 18 were reported between January to November.
From the number, shared by Bukit Aman's Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11) principal assistant director Assistant Commissioner Siti Kamsiah Hassan, 634 of them have been found, representing an almost 90 per cent recovery rate.
She said 76 children were still missing.
Following six-year-old Albertine Leo Jia Hui's kidnapping, there had been speculation, especially on social media, that reported cases of missing persons had been increasing lately.
LINK: https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2024/07/1080379/2-more-arrested...
However, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has denied claims of a sudden increase in cases of missing persons in the country.
LINK: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/1080485/saifuddin-refutes-cla...
He said that based on data from the Federal Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), cases involving missing persons had remained steady at approximately 900 incidents annually.
"So I can say, from 2020 until June 2024, the pattern of police reports on missing persons incidents has consistently been around 900 persons.
"Out of the reported missing persons cases, the percentage of those found is high, between 85 to 90 per cent, meaning that those who remain missing account for about 10 to 15 per cent.