KUALA LUMPUR, May 16  —  Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto has today called on the Finance Ministry to expedite immediate funding of RM13 million for Bukit Aman’s Sexual, Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (D11).

Kasthuri in particular singled out Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Women Family and Community Development minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin for their silence over what she called a "damning” revelation.

"While I commend the honesty and transparency of Bukit Aman’s Sexual, Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (D11) Principal Assistant Director Siti Kamsiah Hassan to admit and concede shortcomings of the police force in the war against child pornography, the buck cannot stop there.

"Where is the RM13 million fund to empower the D11 Division including 100 new staffs to assist in battling sexual crimes against children as announced by the Minister of Finance Tengku Zafrul while tabling the 2022 National Budget in the Dewan Rakyat on October 29, 2021?” she asked in a statement here. 

This as a senior police officer from the aforementioned division revealed the lack of manpower to vet and investigate over tens of thousands of IP addresses containing child pornography shared by international enforcement agencies over the past six years. 

Noting the urgency in the matter, Kasthuri said the allocation would see the setting up of Malaysian Internet Crime Against Children (MICAC) in each police contingent with at least one investigating officer instead of the three existing personnel managing reports, vetting and investigations nationwide.

"Over six years, only 103 IP addresses were vetted and investigated that led to 50 individuals to be arrested. There is no news on the charge and if they have been convicted. A meagre 0.11 per cent of the total number of IP addresses containing and or sharing child pornography.

"With only three investigating officers in the MICAC D11 investigation unit to cover the whole of Malaysia, it is no wonder we have been moving at a snail’s pace to nab these monsters in the bud,” she added.

Kasthuri said the genuine concern shown by the division’s head must be rewarded and addressed immediately by releasing the allocation, and not by virtue of a show cause letter demanding an explanation why said concerns were exposed in the media instead of keeping it internally. 

"It cannot be clearer than this that we are digging our own graves for every minute spent on red-tape, bureaucracy and endless protocols and procedures at the cost and expense of our children.

"Ditch the "Government knows best” attitude and act promptly to alarm bells when highlighted by our men and women in blue before it is too late,” she said.

In a parliamentary reply last year, it was revealed that Bukit Aman’s D11 was apportioned a mere 1.63 per cent of the RM33 million total funding allocation given to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in 2021.

In the reply to Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh, Hamzah said the allocation would translate to RM543,394 out of the total RM33,431,671 distributed to the unit for travelling claims, phone bill payments, rental and maintenance contract payments and other expenditure.

The D11 was created in 2007 to provide support and assistance to the victims and witnesses of criminal cases involving sexual and domestic abuse.

Officers in the division are tasked with assisting those involved with lodging police reports, conducting counselling sessions, crisis situation interventions at home or at hospitals, and assuming the role of a Victim Care Officer.

The division also conducts interviews with minors at the Child Interview Centre, while providing psychological support for victims placed at their Victim Care Centre.