High time for updated laws to address emerging crime trends and cyberbullying, says criminologist
Even though there is evolution in the modus operandi, the existing laws were inadequate to address these emerging threats.
SHAH ALAM - With the rise of new crime patterns, particularly in commercial crimes where victims suffer devastating consequences such as suicide due to cyberbullying, experts are calling for updated laws, including the introduction of a new cybersecurity law, to effectively tackle these threats.
Criminologist Shankar Durairaja stressed the urgent need for new legislation in response to recent crime trends in the country.
He highlighted not only the rise in overall crime rates but also the significant surge in cyberbullying cases.
"We are seeing a rise in robbery and violent crime cases across the country. Recently, the Selangor police have even announced a slight increase in the crime index for the state and this trend is mirrored in other states as well," he told Sinar Daily.
Even though there is evolution in the modus operandi, Shankar said that the existing laws were inadequate to address these emerging threats.
"When we look at the new patterns and trends, especially in commercial crimes, there's a daily evolution in the modus operandi. Unfortunately, our existing laws are not always adequate to prevent these crimes," he noted.
However, he said the government had planned to table a new cybersecurity law, which was crucial to overcoming these emerging trends and patterns.
This came after cyberbully victim Rajeswary Appahu (Esha), a social media influencer, died by suicide on July 5, shortly after filing a police report about threats and defamation she faced on social media platforms following severe cyberbullying by the accused.
The accused, P. Shalini, a 35-year-old TikTok user known as @alphaquinnsha was charged under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 for using vulgar language on TikTok with the intent to incite anger and disrupt peace.
The court imposed a fine of RM100, the maximum penalty under this section.
Shankar added that crime prevention was a complex and ongoing effort, requiring a multi-faceted approach, suggesting enforcement bodies work together to educate the offenders.
"Criminals will be kept in prison, but we don't want them to repeat the same offences after their release. Our objective is to reduce crime and the number of individuals involved in criminal activities.
"To achieve this, we need to educate those who have committed crimes. For certain offenses like murder and drug trafficking, there are severe penalties, but for others, the prison department is working hard to rehabilitate offenders through specific programs and modules," he explained.
Commenting further, Shankar said that it was crucial to start early education about crime prevention at the school level.
"If we want to prevent crime, we need to start with primary, secondary schools and colleges. We must educate children about the consequences of crime and make them aware of the rules.
“For students from challenging backgrounds, we need to implement specific programmes to help them," he said.
