LANGKAWI: Easy access to pornographic material on the internet and unrestricted socialisation have been identified as among the significant factors in the rise of statutory rape cases involving juveniles in Kedah.
State police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh said police viewed the 150 cases involving juveniles reported in the state between January and October were taken seriously.
"We are worried as the number of sexual crimes involving victims aged between 11 and 16 in the state recorded an upward trend since 2021 and the jump is even more drastic this year.
"They (juveniles) admitted that they were involved in rape crimes after watching pornographic material on the smartphones," he told reporters after launching Kedah police Amanita's settlement foster programme at the Anggerik Lestari People's Housing Project (PPR) in Kuah here today.
Present were federal police's chief assistant director of community policing Senior Assistance Commissioner Alina Saad; Kedah deputy police chief Datuk Abu Samah Mohd Noor dan Langkawi police chief Assistant Commissioner Shariman Ashari.
Fisol added that the rape cases involving juveniles were not only reported in cities and towns, but also in remote villages.
"Thus, based on the current situation, the public should adopt the 'busybody' attitude in weeding out social illness issues among teenagers.
"The public should not just be alert but also have the courage to step forward to lodge a report so that the law enforcement agency can take action to prevent the issue from getting even worse," he said.
Meanwhile, Fisol said the PPR Anggerik Lestari was the seventh settlement picked by the state police to hold the programme, with the aim to enhance the rapport between the police and communities, particularly housewives.
He said the first six settlements involved in the programme were Taman Utama in Alor Star; Taman Bandar Baru Sungai Lalang and Paya Nahu Flats in Sungai Petani; Taman Selasih in Kulim, Taman Mahsuri in Jitra and Kota Nelayan in Kuala Kedah.