KUCHING: Any action involving minors suspected of extremist activities must adhere to the provisions of the Child Act 2001, said Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said the ministry would first review the findings of the police investigation before determining the appropriate form of intervention, including counselling or rehabilitation.
“We will look at what is being implemented by the police first because they are detained under the Child Act 2001,” she said when met by reporters after attending the launching of ‘Shopping Raya PEKEMA Sarawak Bersama Anak-Anak Asnaf’ programme at AEON Shopping Mall today (March 8).
Nancy stressed that the ministry needs to fully understand the circumstances of the case before deciding on the next steps.
“If counselling is needed, it must involve counsellors who are experienced and knowledgeable in dealing with the type of offence that is being alleged,” she said.
She added that the ministry has various mechanisms in place to assist minors but will only determine the appropriate approach once details of the investigation are known.
“We must first understand what actually happened, what was posted on social media and the nature of the case before taking action. We cannot act hastily,” she said.
Nancy also noted that the ministry typically works closely with the police in such cases to determine the necessary support measures.
“Usually we will cooperate with the police and ask what is needed from us because they will advise us based on the circumstances of the arrest,” she said.
According to a previous report, Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail revealed that six individuals, including three teenagers aged between 16 and 21, were arrested for allegedly spreading extremist ideology linked to the Islamic State (IS) group through online platforms.
