Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the amendment was necessary following a sharp rise in child sexual crime cases involving foreign nationals in Malaysia.
He said police statistics showed reported cases increased by 117 per cent over the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, rising from 1,095 cases in 2021 to 2,385 last year.
"The number of foreign suspects has also shown an upward trend, increasing from 67 in 2021 to 148 in 2025, with the majority comprising Indonesian, Bangladeshi, Myanmar and Pakistani nationals.
"Malaysia cannot rely on a limited jurisdictional framework. This amendment ensures that any individual with a substantial connection to Malaysia cannot evade legal action simply because the offence was committed abroad," he said when winding up the debate on the Bill.
Kulasegaran said the amendment would enable Malaysia to prosecute perpetrators of child sexual offences with a clear connection to the country, even where the crimes involved cross-border elements.
He also revealed that police had identified five key focus areas in digital forensic investigations to tackle child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfake content.
These include analysing AI models, examining system logs, tracing IP addresses and verifying data integrity through hash values to preserve the digital chain of custody for court proceedings.
"The main focus of the investigation is to establish the link between the digital content and the suspect through valid digital evidence, reliable forensic analysis and a complete, unbroken chain of custody.
"In the context of the Bill tabled today, technological developments, including the use of AI, also show that child sexual offences are becoming increasingly complex and can occur across national borders," he said.
Kulasegaran said digital investigations also involve the seizure and preservation of electronic evidence, collection of telecommunications records and digital platform logs, as well as the preparation of expert forensic reports to support prosecutions.
Earlier, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the amendment sent a clear message that Malaysia would not tolerate those who sexually exploited children.
She said although the Bill was brief, its impact was significant as it enabled enforcement action in situations not covered under the existing law.
The Bill, which was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on June 30, amends the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792) to extend its extraterritorial application to offences committed overseas where either the offender or the victim has a connection to Malaysia.
The Dewan Negara adjourned and will resume its sitting on Monday. - NST
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