Richard Huckle case a wake-up call for stronger child protection - Expert

SHAH ALAM – The Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11) tasked with investigating child exploitation is facing an uphill battle due to limited resources and outdated technology.

Criminologist and principal consultant of Arunachala Research and Consultancy Sdn Bhd R. Paneir Selvam said D11 officers often lacked access to specialised training and digital surveillance tools essential to monitor crimes committed on encrypted platforms such as Telegram and the dark web.

"A recent 2020 case involving Malaysian citizens found that the perpetrators used encrypted apps to distribute child abuse images," he told Sinar Daily.

He cited the growing gap between the technological sophistication of offenders and the investigative capacity of law enforcement agencies.

He said although the Op Pedo sting operation in 2018 successfully arrested several offenders for child pornography-related offences, it also exposed the lack of advanced digital tools available to the D11 unit.

He said despite its success, the operation highlighted the lack of advanced tools and expertise available to the D11 unit to tackle the digital nature of many child exploitation cases.

Paneir warned that encrypted platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp and especially the dark web, have become havens for illegal activities ranging from child trafficking to sexual abuse material distribution.

"In 2019, Malaysia was the site of a global child exploitation ring that operated across borders via these encrypted platforms.

"A case study involving British national Richard Huckle illustrated how online predators exploit Malaysia’s underdeveloped digital infrastructure to evade detection," he said.

He shared that Huckle used encrypted communications to access vulnerable children and exploited them over several years before authorities were able to intervene.

He added that without proper digital forensics and international cooperation, predators remained difficult to trace.

"The encrypted platforms like these create nearly impenetrable barriers for law enforcement. This, combined with limited resources and training for digital forensics, means that offenders can operate largely unchallenged online, utilising advanced technologies to hide their identities and actions," he said.

This picture shows an area where British child sex-abuser Richard Huckle roamed the streets taking pictures of children in this predomintly poor Indian community, according to witnesses, in Kuala Lumpur on June 3, 2016. - (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP)

He said the United Nations Children's Fund stated that although the #LindungAnak initiative was launched in 2020 to raise awareness among children and parents about online exploitation, many remained unaware of how to identify grooming or exploitation attempts.

He said given the global nature of these crimes, international collaboration was vital, but Malaysia's resources were stretched thin, limiting the capacity to engage fully with international law enforcement bodies such as Interpol or Europol," he said.

He emphasised that Malaysia must urgently invest in digital forensics, specialised training for the D11 unit and stronger collaboration with international agencies to effectively counter online child exploitation.

Meanwhile, OrphanCare Foundation Baby Rescue Department social worker Nuur’ain Binti Mohd Kharir said the presence of local baby hatches was crucial to providing safe alternatives for expectant mothers.

"We will advise them to go to the hospital for check-ups and all that. That is not only for the baby but also for the safety of the mother.

"And when they come here, we will always protect their privacy. We are non-judgemental. Whatever their circumstances, however they come to us, what we focus on is the safety of the baby and the safety of the mother in giving birth," she said when contacted.

Nuur’ain said the baby hatch system supported mothers through delivery and beyond.

"Most of the girls who come to us say they first heard about us through social media, which is why we’re also working to grow our presence there.

"So when they need help, when they search, they can find the local baby hatch. The hope is that they will approach us," she said.

She admitted that the scale of baby-selling and exploitation syndicates was vast and dismantling such syndicates was difficult, as many of their activities went unnoticed.

She added that they were unaware of the extent of manipulation, where pregnant women were exploited and their children used to produce videos.

Nuur’ain stressed that the local baby hatch role was to provide a safe, legal and compassionate solution.

"As for baby-selling syndicates, those have existed for a long time. But this particular case is totally new to us.

"So to stop it — it’s widespread, it’s big. What we can do is raise awareness that we are here when mothers need help.

"If a mother has already given birth on her own at home or without going to hospital, we will still help them. Because what matters most is the baby’s future, their safety and health," she said.