Despite the almost 100 percent increase in sexual crimes against children, the Education Ministry has been dragging its feet in raising awareness about sexual crimes prevention among students.

Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng, who is spearheading a campaign on sexual crimes against children in Penang, said many parents find it difficult to talk to their children about the subject.

Which is why Chong and members of the Women's Centre for Change (WCC) feel there is a need to  raise public awareness on the subject so that heinous crimes against children can be stopped.

“Many are outraged when sexual crimes against children appear in the news; some even suggested death sentence for the perpetrators,” she told about 100 participants who attended the launch of the campaign on Saturday.

NONE “However, a heavy sentence may not be effective because rape is always hard to prove under the present judiciary system,” she added.

Chong ( right in pic ) said a WCC study showed that only four percent of rape suspects were found guilty in court.

“Therefore, prevention of sexual crimes against children is definitely much better than the death sentence,” she added.

Recently, in a reply to Chong’s question in Parliament on the subject, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said sexual crimes increased from 2,427 cases in 2005 to 4,238 in 2009, a 100 percent jump, and that half of the victims were children under 16 years.

In 2009, there was an average of 11 rape cases a day, while half of them involved minors below 16 years.

According to statistics from the Welfare Department, reports on child abuse increased from 1,036 to 2,279 between 2001 and 2007.

Of this number, child sexual abuse saw an astounding 200 percent increase, from 251 to 754.

State gov’t ‘eager to contribute’

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said cases of child sexual abuse were on the rise despite Malaysia being a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and having its own Child Protection Act 2001.

Lim, who launched the WCC campaign, said the state government was eager to contribute to the campaign to raise public awareness and fight sexual crimes against children.

“What we need is gates of justice, awareness and caring to protect our children,” he said in his opening speech.

“We look forward to suggestions from you on how the state can play a role to stop sexual crimes against children. We will work with companies, NGOs and other organisations to promote safer neighbourhoods, better childcare centres, kindergartens, playgrounds and public transport,” he added.

Supported by 23 organisations, the campaign needs 1,000 volunteers to run about 100 of its events and activities.

It is sponsored and organised by the Penang-based Children’s Protection Society (CPS), while the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce is the secretariat for the campaign.

CPS was founded in 1991 and runs a shelter which currently protects 30 neglected and abandoned children.

Its president, Nazir Ariff, said most of the incidents of sexual crimes happened at home and the majority of perpetrators were family members.

“It is often a hidden and silent crime. We need to help children break their silence and confront the situation in their own families and in their homes. We cannot pretend that nothing is happening,” Nazir said.

“If we are saying stop sexual crimes against children, then this refusal to confront the problem must also stop!” he added.