Legal age for criminal liability to be reduced to 12

Minister of Homeland Security Ali Ihusan has said the government is considering to reduce the legal age for criminal culpability to 12 years.

The minister announced this at the press conference held on Saturday evening to address the bullying incident in AA. Rasdhoo.

Videos circulating on social media showed two teens harassing and beating a lone child who had attended Rasdhoo's mosque to perform Tarawih prayer on Friday evening.

Ihusan said the primary challenge in combatting crimes against children is the legal age of criminal culpability being 15 years. He added that over 200 minors have records of criminal offenses while several of these aged 12, 13, and 14 years.

"None of these minors fit into the statutory age of criminal culpability. So, the laws made right now cannot hold these minors accountable despite their criminal offenses," Ihusan said.

"The current government is considering to change the legal age of criminal liability of 12 years."

The video of two teenagers harassing and beating a lone child has since garnered media and public attention, with many criticizing the acts of the abusive minors. Several netizens have called for the immediate arrest of the culpable parties and swift action against them.