KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Senator Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, has urged authorities to take firm action against the misuse of children’s and teenagers’ images on social media, particularly involving immoral content.

He was referring to recent revelations by actress and social media influencer Mek Yun, who disclosed that a photo of her from her school days was circulated in a Facebook group allegedly promoting sexual content involving children.

"Even more shocking was the open confession of a group member who admitted to committing sexual assault against a child.

"This is a heinous and disgusting crime that not only violates the law, but also transgresses the boundaries of humanity and the moral values of society,” he said in a statement on Friday (June 13).

Na’im stressed that protecting children was a shared responsibility that must be upheld by all members of society, and such heinous acts should not be allowed to persist.

He also advised adults to be mindful of their behaviour and language when dealing with children, both in person and online.

At the same time, he reminded the public of Islamic teachings that emphasised protection for the vulnerable.

Na’im also reminded parents to monitor their children’s social media usage and educate them about digital safety, while urging the authorities to strengthen laws and monitoring of online sexual crimes.- Bernama