MELAKA: The abduction of a 12-year-old in Selangor has alarmed parents and shows a need for harsher deterrent penalties, says the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF).
Its Melaka chapter chairman Edison Chan said parents here fear for the safety of their children after the recent case in which the victim was allegedly molested and almost sold to a prostitution ring.
"The safety of children shouldn't be compromised and it's of great concern to us.
"The police acted promptly to rescue the victim, who is from Klang," he said in an interview on Friday (Oct 18).
Chan said kidnapping laws need to be reviewed with stiffer punishments imposed to keep pace with the changing social landscape.
He added that Section 363 of the Penal Code for kidnapping a child from lawful guardianship carries a maximum seven-year jail term, and described it as a marginal deterrent.
"On our side, we will continue to engage with stakeholders and the media to draft strategic plans that will effectively address the safety of our (children)," he said.
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Chan said MCPF is inviting women and children's advocates as well as the media to initiate awareness campaigns.
"We will also rope in parents, school officials, students, and non-governmental organisations for our campaigns.
"The goal is to educate stakeholders about safety and engage with society to prevent any abduction of schoolchildren, especially young girls," he added.
On Thursday (Oct 17), Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the victim was invited to go on a ride with four individuals, including a woman known to her.
The girl was reported missing after going to a car to pick up food below her residence at a flat on Oct 8.
The girl was taken to a rented apartment in Setia Alam, Selangor where she was confined for four days and allegedly molested by two suspects, aged 13 and 23.
On Oct 12, Selangor police arrested four suspects, including two women, following raids in Segambut Dalam, Setia Alam and Pandamaran. The victim was found safe that same day.
Comm Hussein said they were tracking down two other suspects.
