CHILDREN as young as 13 years old are exposed to pornography as internet usage increases across Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said today.

The fifth Malaysian Populace and Family Study in 2014 showed that 35.3% of teenagers age between 13 and 24 are exposed to the pornography, she said.

Wan Azizah, who is also women and family development minister, said internet penetration had reached 81.8% of the country’s population this year.

“From the figure, 60.8% have obtained such illicit materials from the internet, while 35% via smartphones and 20% from DVDs or CDs,” she said during the opening of the anti-pornography seminar in Tuaran today.

In Sabah and Sarawak, Wan Azizah also cited a 2016 National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) study that a number of teenagers have already engaged in sexual activities while in school and 22% of them blamed pornographic materials had influenced them.

“Does this not scare us? Are Malaysian families ready to control the use of gadgets?

“Control the use of gadgets and be smart in using the internet.

“These programmes must be supported and cooperated by of all quarters including individuals, government bodies, private firms, local communities and civil society bodies,” she said.

Wan Azizah said incest, child abuse, domestic violence, sex before marriage and pornography have emerge as a major concern for the country.

She said 4,992 children registered by the National Registration Department are born out of wedlock, with 1,664 of them are those whose parents are under 18 years old.

Towards this end, Wan Azizah said under the 2010 National Family Policy, the development of families will be based on the building inherent strength of family members.

“In line with the government call, the policy will continue to play a role as guideline to mainstream the family perspective in the move to develop policies and country from economic, physical surrounding, politics, faith and science and technology,” she said. – July 22, 2018.