Missing children: 4,655 reports received over five years

CASES of missing children in the country are increasingly worrying as the number has shown an increase over the past five years.

Based on Bukit Aman statistics, a total of 4,655 reports of cases of children under the age of 18 were received from 2021 to January this year.

Of that total, 594 cases were reported in 2021, while last year the number of cases increased to 1,219.

Meanwhile, for January this year alone, a total of 98 reports were received, reported BuletinTV3.

The 13- to 15-year-old age category recorded the highest number, with 2,507 cases, while the under-six-year-old category recorded the lowest number, at 73 cases.

Principal Assistant Director of the Sexual, Women, and Children Investigation Division (D11), Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, Senior Assistant Commissioner Siti Kamsiah Hassan, stated that out of the 4,655 cases, 4,261 victims have been identified.

However, 20 victims were confirmed dead, while the status of 374 children is still unknown, whether they are missing or may be victims of crime.

Based on the analysis, six main factors have been identified as the cause of missing children, namely running away from home, being abducted by legal guardians, accidents, running away from school or shelters, becoming victims of crime and other factors.

“This situation contributes to approximately 75 per cent of missing child cases. Most involve children who leave home and then return after a few days, either the next day or a week later. This is one of the most dominant causes,” she said exclusively to Buletin TV3.

Overall, only one per cent of cases are still unsolved, and the status of the victims has not been ascertained.

"99 per cent of children have been found, leaving only about one per cent that are still under investigation, and we do not yet know the exact cause of their disappearance," she said.

Acknowledging that this trend is worrying, parents and guardians are urged to immediately file a police report as soon as they realise their child is missing to enable search efforts to be carried out.

The public is also advised not to spread unverified information regarding missing child cases.

This is because the spread of inaccurate information can disrupt investigations and confuse witnesses and family members of the victim. – May 10, 2026