4,471 children reported missing from 2017 to Sept 1

'He said based on Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) statistics, of the total, 4,399 children had been found while 72 others are still missing.

As for the cases of missing persons aged 18 and above, he said a total of 6,074 cases were reported in the same period with 4,871 found while 1,203 people were still missing.

"Among the measures taken by the government to address this problem is to create a Missing Children Portal. The information is displayed on the portal which can be accessed by the public.

"This portal provides an opportunity for the community to work together to track down missing children more quickly and effectively by channeling the latest information via the Internet," he said in a question and answer session at Dewan Negara here today.

Ismail was responding to a question from Senator Datuk Koh Nai Kwong who had asked for statistics involving missing persons reported in the last five years, and steps taken by the government to address the problem.

Ismail said the police have also collaborated with 40 other agencies through the NUR Alert, which is an early warning system for missing child cases to assist law enforcement agencies conduct investigations and lead to speedy arrests.

"PDRM also collaborates with various parties in organising awareness programmes to prevent cases like these from recurring. The Child Awareness Campaign (CAC) aims to provide awareness to the community that children are vulnerable and why it is important to ensure their safety," he said.

Ismail said based on police investigations, some of the reasons for them going missing were that they had family problems or received less family attention; seeking more freedom to be friends or lovers, depression; senility, mental issues or being involved in crime.

In addition, he said there were also those who went missing after family misunderstandings, debts and also due to physical or mental abuse.