Ministry wants stiffer laws to ensure rapists receive just sentences
Representatives from the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry want to meet with Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to ensure stiffer laws for statutory rape.
This came after a public uproar over the "light" sentences handed down in two recent statutory rape cases.
In a statement, the ministry said it would discuss with the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department to study laws related to statutory rape to protect the interests of victims and to ensure perpetrators receive just sentences.
"We respect the court's decision but are concerned with society's view that the sentences are light and do not commensurate with the crime," it said.
Former national youth squad bowler Noor Afizal Azizan and electrician Chuah Guan Jiu were bound over for five years and three years respectively on a RM25,000 good behaviour bond after being found guilty of statutory rape.
As Malaysia is a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and Convention on the Rights of Children, the ministry said that it was the Government's responsibility to protect women and children from exploitation, violence and abuse.
Both Noor Afizal and Chuah were 19 and 21 respectively when they committed the offences on girls who were then aged 13 and 12.
In the two cases, the judges took into consideration the future of both youths. They also noted that the sex acts were consensual although the girls were underage.
Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) expressed its concern that "consensual sex" between a young adult and a child can result in a binding over sentence for the perpetrator.
"That the act was consensual' merely points to the fact that no physical violence took place. It is imperative that we ask ourselves whether a child aged 12 or 13 is able to consent' to a sexual relationship."
"Furthermore, the manner of exploitation of the girl must also be considered," it said in a statement.
Suhakam also voiced its concerns on the issue.
Its chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said: "While not denying that there have been similar sentences in the past in cases of statutory rape committed by young first offenders, Suhakam is alarmed that the consent of the child victims appeared to be one of the mitigating factors in both cases."
It was also of concern that the lenient sentences meted out might send a wrong message to would-be offenders, he said.
"Suhakam also views very seriously the public disclosure of the names of offenders which may lead to the exposure of the identity of the child victims,' he said.
- The Star -
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