Understanding the Factors of Children Missing/Running Away from Home in Malaysia

Statistics issued by the Royal Malaysian Police show that the number of missing children cases in 2009 was 53, while the figure increased to 54 cases in 2010. The increase in the number of missing children from 2009 to 2010 remains unexplained. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the factors and reasons why children go missing in Malaysia. The study was conducted using qualitative methods. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using semi-structure questions. Respondents were selected from the missing children list obtained from the Criminal Investigation Department, Royal Malaysian Police (RMP), Bukit Aman, for the years 2009 and 2010. Findings of the study classify the reasons into two main factors, the push factors and the pull factors, that cause children to go missing from home. Push factors consist of three main components: the individual, the family and the living environment. While the pull factors were divided into two components: peers influence and the community environment. We conclude that the majority of missing/run away children come from family conflicts. Thus, we propose well-structured prevention and interventions programs in order to protect and prevent children from running away from home.