GIRLS made up the majority of missing children cases reported since 2020, taking up 74% of the 3,847 reported cases, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister gave the Dewan Rakyat a breakdown of the cases, with 792 children below the age of 18 reported missing in 2020 and 594 cases in 2021.
In 2022, authorities received 902 reports on missing children; last year, the figure was 779.
As of September, 780 missing children reports were made.
“On average, a total of 770 cases of missing children were recorded annually or two cases daily.
“Out of the total missing children cases, 96% of them were successfully resolved by police,” he said to a question by Muhammad Ismi Mat Taib (PN-Parit).
Ismi had asked for the ministry to state efforts undertaken to address the increasing number of cases involving missing children.
Saifuddin Nasution said children aged between 13 and 15 were the most to have been reported missing, constituting 54% of the total number of cases, followed by those aged 16 to 18 or 37%.“Among reasons these children went missing include seeking freedom, peer influence and misunderstanding with family,” he said.
The minister said 457 awareness programmes were held for prevention and awareness.
He added that once the children are found, psychological support would be provided for the family and victims.
Asked on the need for new laws to curb the issue, Saifuddin Nasution said that existing legal frameworks are adequate in dealing with the problem.
The minister added that the government would put more emphasis on awareness.
