A total of 787 teen pregnancy cases was recorded in Perak last year, 615 of which involved students in secondary schools.

State Health, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs, National Integration and New Villages Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the number of cases recorded last year was less than the 892 cases recorded in 2014.

However, he said the matter should not be viewed lightly and efforts must be made to curb it, including through educational advocacy for teenagers.

"A total of 30,607 antenatal cases were also recorded statewide last year, 2.6 percent of which involved teenagers.

"Some of these teenagers were rape victims, so we must help them and tackle the problem," he told reporters here Tuesday.

Mah added that three cases of abandoned baby were recorded between January and September this year, compared to five cases in the corresponding period last year. -- Bernama