GIRLS MAKE UP MOST MISSING CHILDREN IN MALAYSIA - 报告与数据分析

Aug 14, 2026

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Malaysia missing-children data highlights that girls are the majority among reported cases, with the first half of the year showing 421 of 572 missing children being girls (73.6%). The article explains how gender preference can lead to neglect and undervaluing, increasing vulnerability. It further links disappearances to strict home rules, peer pressure, romantic relationships, abuse and broader family problems. Lack of school attendance is presented as a key driver by reducing adult supervision and support structures, while activists warn about risks of exploitation and criminal networks in some cases.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Girls dominate reported missing cases

Factors behind girls going missing

Role of school attendance

Risks of exploitation and criminal elements

TARIKH:27 DISEMBER 2024 (JUMAAT)BERITA HARIAN UTUSAN M'SIA # N.STRAITS TIMESTHE STAR□ SINAR HARIAN[ GIRLS MAKE UPMOST MISSINGCHILDREN INMALAYSIA She added that there might bean under-reporting of missingboys due to societal expectationsof male independence. MOHAMAD AL AS KUALA LUMPUR alas.yunos@nst.com.my NS¹29-(2·24,PG·5IRLS vastly outnum-bered boys amongmissing children inMalaysia this year. “There is a longstanding pref-erence for sons over daughters.How much does this play a fac-tor?” Such preferences,said Hartini,could lead to neglect and under-valuing of girls,increasing theirvulnerability. Data from Bukit Aman's Sex-ual,Women and Child Investi-gation Division(D11)showed thatin the first half of the year,421 ofthe572 reported missing childrenwere girls,making up 73.6 percent of the total. “This can result in adverse sit-uations,including running away Data also showed that mostmissing children were aged 13 to or being trafficked "(Girls may feel)misunder-stood or unsupported at homeseeking independence or an es-cape from strict rules,or due topeer pressure and the desire to fitin with friends,as well as roman-tic relationships disapproved ofby parents,abuse,neglect,oroth-er serious family problems,"shesaid. 18,and 59 cases involved youngerchildren aged 7to 12. According to the statistics,themajority of the disappearancestook place in January,with 117children reported missing thatmonth. Up to June,484 had beenfound,with 88still missing. Child activist Datuk Dr HartiniZainudin,co-founder of YayasanChow Kit,attributed the highernumber of missing girls to ad-ditional social pressures and re-strictions that might lead them torun away. Fellow activist and SurianaWelfare Society chairman DrJames Nayagam supported theseobservations,emphasising theinfluence of romantic relation-ships. “Most of the time,there's aboyfriend in the picture.Eitherhe disliked her parents or the re-lationship with the parents is.very,very weak." She said girls were often tar-geted more for exploitation,which could account for somedisappearances. Nayagam added that in somecases,it was due to a group or agang deciding to run away withthe girl. TARIKH:27 DISEMBER 2024(JUMAAT) Alack of school attendance hasalso been identified as a signif-icant contributor to the growingissue of runaways and missingchildren. “(Not attending school causes)reduced adult supervision andstructure in a child's life,"saidHartini. According to the data,82 chil-dren were not attending school atthe time of their disappearance,while 104 had stopped attendingschool in the past. This absence,Hartini said,de-prived children of essential sup-port mechanisms. “(There would be)fewer oppor-tunities to build positive peer re-lationships,"she said,highlight-ing how school environmentsfostered healthy social connec-tions. Beyond social interactions,schools offer critical resourcesthat can safeguard children fromnegative influences. Hartini warned that a lack ofstructured education “increasesthe risk of engaging in risky be-haviours”and might push chil-dren towards dangerous choices. Nayagam agreed,drawing at-tention to a pattern he has ob-served. "I have yet to come acrossa child(who is regularly)attending school going missing,"hesaid. He noted that many children SEKTOR DOKUMENTASI PENDIDIKANBPPDP,Kementerian Pendidikan MalaysiaAras SB-4,Blok E8,Kompleks E,Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan62604 Putrajaya.Tel:03-88846425Faks:03-88846284 Most of thetime,there'sa boyfriend in thepicture.Either hedisliked herparents or therelationship withthe parents isvery,very weak. DR JAMES NAYAGAMSuriana Welfare Societychairman who went missing often camefrom“the lower-performingclass”of the school,strugglingacademically. Nayagam also raised the alarmon criminal elements linked to cases of runaway and missingchildren,especially among olderminors. "The girls are lured into pros-titution and other things such aspornography,"he sa

FAQs

How many missing children were reported in Malaysia’s first half of the year, and how many were girls?

In the first half of the year, 572 missing children were reported, including 421 girls, which is 73.6% of the total.

What reasons are given for girls being more vulnerable to going missing?

The article cites neglect from long-standing preference for sons, feelings of being misunderstood or unsupported at home, peer pressure, strict rules, romantic relationships, abuse or serious family problems, and sometimes group-runaway situations.

How does lack of school attendance contribute to runaway and missing cases?

Not attending school reduces adult supervision and daily structure, deprives children of support mechanisms, and limits opportunities to build positive peer relationships, increasing exposure to negative influences and risky behavior.

Aug 14, 2026

Upload by Eliana