Strictly enforce child protection laws, Wanita MCA says after bus driver incident

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita MCA calls for the strict enforcement of child protection laws following a disturbing incident involving a school bus driver.

Wanita MCA secretary-general Chan Quin Er (pic) said Wanita MCA has always been steadfast in pushing for the strict enforcement of the Child Act 2001.

“Besides the Penal Code, every citizen in Malaysia deserves their privacy and also not to be harassed online or offline.

“And for children, we have the Child Act 2001, which protects children. This is an added layer of protection for children not to be exposed, not to be even neglected,” said Chan.

She also stressed the importance of utilising the Communications and Multimedia Act to act against those who misuse social media platforms.

“Certain guidelines need to be followed on social media to prevent the exposure of underage children’s content, which is open to abuse and puts our children at risk,” she said during a press conference at Wisma MCA on Friday (Sept 6).

She called on the parents or guardians of the minor to lodge a police report and assist in the investigation.

A school bus driver who uploaded a video and posted a photos of students he was ferrying was detained early this morning in Simpang Renggam, Kluang.

Johor Police Chief Comm M. Kumar said the 24-year-old local man was arrested by police personnel from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Kluang district police headquarters at 2:57am.

A mobile phone believed to have been used in the incident has been confiscated for further investigation.

The case is being investigated under Section 15(a)(iii) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and Section 15(2) of the Child Act 2001.

The incident came to public attention when a social media user on X (formerly known as Twitter) shared a screenshot of a TikTok post by the school bus driver, who referred to a female student as a “crush” and “sayang” (beloved).