Terengganu sexual crimes up in first six months of 2025

KUALA TERENGGANU - Sexual crime cases in Terengganu from January to June this year recorded an increase of 3.8 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Terengganu police chief Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairuddin said 108 sexual crime cases were reported compared to 104 cases in the same period last year, with the highest number of cases involving rape and incest.

He said the victims were aged between five and 27 years old, while the suspects were between 15 and 72 years old, with some of them having family ties with the victims.

"Rape cases increased from 37 to 41 cases while incest rose from five to nine cases compared to the same period last year.

"Among the contributing factors are the lack of parental vigilance to the current crime trend involving children and the lack of attention from family members to the point that victims are afraid to tell the truth," he said after the handover of duties ceremony of the Deputy Terengganu police chief at the Terengganu police contingent headquarters here today.

Mohd Khairi advised parents to monitor their children's use of gadgets and the community to report any suspicious activity to the authorities immediately.

In other developments, Mohd Khairi stated that, under a special operation, Op Lejang Khas, held from June 18 to 30, police arrested 14 suspects and seized 25 motorcycles and a car.

According to him, the police inspected 382 individuals, 622 motorcycles and 26 cars at several locations, including shops, workshops and junk stores.

"Op Lejang Khas targets enforcement and prevention action against property crime. The 14 male suspects aged between 17 and 42 who were arrested will be investigated under Section 6 of the Second-hand Dealers Act, Section 379 of the Penal Code (vehicle theft), Section 379A of the Penal Code and Section 29(1) of the Minor Offences Act," he added. - BERNAMA