SHAH ALAM, Oct 14 — Local authorities should check sex offender records before approving business licences, especially for childcare centres (taska), to keep children safe, said state executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari.
She urged cross-checking applicants against the sex offender registry under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM), which would also help authorities identify those with a history of such offences and prevent them from gaining access to children.
“This KPWKM (Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development) sex offender database can be used for cross-referencing.
“If they apply for a business licence, local authorities can verify their status,” she said on Media Selangor’s Bicara Semasa programme, titled “Pemangsa di sebalik skrin (Predators beyond the screen)”, aired yesterday.
She also urged taska operators to be more diligent when screening people who might interact with children at their facilities.
“Strict screening serves as a safer form of prevention compared with resorting to legal prosecution only after the harm has been done,” she added.
Meanwhile, she highlighted the importance of providing rehabilitative support to sex abuse victims who suffer from long-term trauma, with therapy and counseling services by certified Social Welfare Department (JKM) officers among the forms of aid available to victims.
She believes appropriate treatment is essential to help children overcome trauma and move forward with their lives.
During the Selangor State Legislative Assembly session on August 4, Anfaal revealed that 3,747 sexual crime cases involving children were recorded in the state between 2021 and 2025.
Of that total, rape cases accounted for the highest figure at 1,845, followed by physical sexual assault cases at 1,654.
Physical sexual assault cases have risen by 70 per cent since 2021; though the increase in reports has also been attributed to growing public awareness and a greater willingness to lodge complaints.
