There is an urgent need for Malaysia to set up a sex offenders registry, according to Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

He said such registry would alert the public on any sexual offender who might be in their midst such as in the same neighbourhood.

He said the registry should be placed under the charge of the Royal Malaysian Police.

"Other countries keep a sex offenders registry where names of sexual offenders are listed and displayed for the public to view, he told reporters last night after the lighting of lamps at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in Johor Baru, in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration.

He was asked to comment on a Malaysian man who would probably be returning to the country after serving his 24-year sentence in Canada.

The man, as reported in Canadian newpapers, was imprisoned in 1992 for sexual predation, drugs and other offences, and would complete his term at the end of this month.

Nur Jazlan, who is also Pulai member of parliament, said Malaysia had not been notified about the case by the Canadian authorities.

"We have not been officially informed," he said.

- Bernama