Penan sexual abuse: Provide school transport
The Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) has proposed that schools in the state's interior use a special education department allocation to provide transport for Penan school children to avert the alleged rape of school girls from the community on their way to and from school.
The Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) has proposed that schools in the state's interior use a special education department allocation to provide transport for Penan school children to avert the alleged rape of school girls from the community on their way to and from school.
STU president William Ghani Bina said the schools could lease four-wheel-drive vehicles or secure the transport service of logging companies operating in the locality to send the Penan children to school and back home.
"A teacher or a parent should be allowed to accompany the school children in the vehicle provided by the logging company to ensure none of the school girls were sexually abused," he said.
"The system of recording the name of the driver and the vehicle registration number is important to ensure that the logging company provides a regular travel schedule," he told reporters when met at the Aidilfitri open house of Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Office, Fatimah Abdullah.
Ghani said logging companies should exercise corporate social responsibility in terms of the local community.
"These companies should provide a safe transport service to send children to and from school, and also to take them to see a doctor and such," he added.
S'wak Women Council to meet
Meanwhile, the Sarawak Women and Family Council will hold a special meeting on Friday to discuss the report by the National Action Committee (JBPK) probing allegations of sexual abuse of Penan women.
Fatimah said the special meeting, which would be held at her house in Taman Desa Guru, would discuss in detail the JBPK report.
"I will chair the meeting which will study and discuss the report. We will also advise the authorities on addressing the issue," she told a media briefing at her Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house.
Fatimah said the council would also discuss other problems faced by the Penans.
The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development set up JBPK last year to investigate claims that Penan women and school girls were sexually abused by timber company workers.
The JBPK's report documented at least eight rape cases and molest of under-aged Penan girls by the workers.
- Bernama
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