Azalina: Parents may soon be legally required to monitor children's online activities

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is currently reviewing several existing legal provisions to introduce clearer responsibility for parents and guardians in efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the proposed amendments include making it compulsory for parents to monitor their children's online activities and to participate in digital safety education programmes.
She said this is in line with the shared responsibility of protecting future generations from sexual crimes in the digital age.
"In the government's ongoing efforts to strengthen the legal system, I represented Malaysia at the Tashkent Law Spring International Legal Forum in Uzbekistan.
"This prestigious forum is an important platform for Malaysia to demonstrate its commitment in addressing global legal challenges, particularly those related to the protection of children in the digital age on the international stage," she said in a statement today.
While delivering the keynote address, Azalina said, she had outlined various initiatives and legal reforms that have been and are being implemented by the government to ensure the safety of children is always protected in an increasingly challenging cyberspace.
She said while advancements like Artificial Intelligence (AI) offer many benefits, they also give rise to new forms of exploitation of children, particularly online.
"So, I called on the international legal community to shoulder a shared moral responsibility to ensure that those involved in crimes against children are brought to justice without exception.
"The digital future must not only be smarter but also safer, more humane and fair to all levels of society, especially children," she said.
During the visit, Azalina also held bilateral talks with Qatar's Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Ibrahim bin Ali bin Issa Al Hassan Al Mohannadi, to strengthen legal cooperation between the two nations, with a focus on human rights protection and justice reform.
In addition, she met with Uzbekistan's Justice Minister Akbar Tashkulov to sign a three-year memorandum of understanding.
The MoU will include collaboration on the exchange of legal expertise, justice reform initiatives, and strengthening the judicial capacity of both countries.