The bickering among politicians over the Penan rape crisis adds to loss of time which can be better spent in addressing grievances.

I do not know if the ministerial task force set up in 2008 to look into the allegations of sexual assault of Penan women and children had conducted a rapid needs assessment at any time or whether it was conducted in November 2008 on its fact-finding mission.

The rapid assessment should go towards mapping the kind of immediate support systems required for the Orang Asal community as the incidences of sexual assault have already been verified by the task force.

I read the Sept 21, 2009 report on the Sarawak Teachers Union suggestions regarding the safety of schoolgirls. The rapid needs assessment terms of reference can, of course, be structured accordingly.

I suggest that the women’s caucus in Parliament explore this immediately as there appears to be some kind of paralysis in responding to the task force report from the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

And as Sarawak is under BN rule, the parliamentary women’s caucus may prove the most expedient vehicle to mobilise action. And let us hope that particular government authorities including the police would manage their insecurities in order to facilitate the mission.

The Penan Support Group (PSG) recommendations would require a planning of ‘recovery and reconstruction’ type of response that one sees in a post-disaster/humanitarian action situation.   

In any case, the country has humanitarian-based NGOs born out of the December 2004 Asian tsunami.

Their experience working on humanitarian action abroad should be made to good use at home. They should step up to the plate and explore an engagement which goes beyond an initial rapid assessment phase.