The incidence of sexual assault against children in 2023 saw a significant increase, of 21.1 percent, with reported cases rising to 1,389, from 1,147 in 2022, said chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin.

In a statement released alongside the publication of the Children Statistics Malaysia, 2024, today, he noted that non-physical sexual offences and child sexual abuse material accounted for 91 and 67 cases respectively, in 2023.

Additionally, the number of sexual offences involving children reported to the police surged by 26.5 percent in 2023, totalling 1,567 cases, compared with 1,239 cases in the previous year.

“From a child protection perspective, the Social Welfare Department recorded a 26.1 percent increase in the number of children needing care and protection, rising from 6,770 in 2022 to 8,536 in 2023,” he stated.

Uzir further revealed that, based on the estimated population statistics for 2024, there are approximately 9.14 million children under the age of 18 in Malaysia, representing 26.9 percent of the country’s total population of 34.06 million.

“The population of children under the age of 18 in Malaysia is comprised of 4.72 million males and 4.42 million females. Children are vital assets for the nation, as they are essential for sustaining the pulse of our development in the future,” he said.

Regarding children’s health, it was noted that certain conditions arising during the perinatal period continue to be the leading medically confirmed causes of death for children aged five and younger in 2023.

Additionally, there has been an improvement in the coverage of all types of orphans, including infants, in terms of adoption, in 2023.

Furthermore, Hepatitis B has seen the most significant increase, rising by 10.6 percentage points to 107.7 percent, compared with 97.1 percent in 2022, he added.

The Children Statistics Malaysia, 2024 is available for free download on the Statistics Department portal.

- Bernama

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