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After Syerleena death threats, Maria moots Anti-Stalking Act
Published:  Jul 17, 2018 9:08 PM
Updated: Nov 23, 2018 2:44 PM

Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah has suggested that an Anti-Stalking Act be introduced to deal with perpetrators who intimidate their victims before the behaviour becomes normalised in Malaysia. 

Maria said this in response to the death threats received by Seri Delima assemblyperson Syerleena Abdul Rashid.

The DAP lawmaker had lodged a report on Saturday over a Facebook poster calling her a traitor to Islam and 'legitimising' her murder. 

The threat came just days after a handwritten note reading "Maut menanti mu" (death awaits you) was placed in the mailbox of her George Town service centre. 

"It is timely to consider an Anti-Stalking Act, as what happened to Syerleena involves repeated non-consensual, written communication with implied threats, or a combination thereof, that are meant to intimidate. 

"As we advance in building democracy in Malaysia, we must never allow this dangerous behaviour to flourish in our society," Maria said in a statement today.

She urged the police to take a swift action on the perpetrator and to take death threat matters seriously.

"A death threat is an act of violence – plain and simple, and if the police do not quickly arrest those responsible and punish them accordingly then there is nothing preventing more of such acts from continuing.

"In this case, we see that a single death threat against Syerleena has inspired others to do the same.

"The police must treat these threats as serious crimes and consider them as harmful, even if they are not carried out — or even intended to be carried out," her statement read.

Maria, the former Bersih chairperson, added that she and her family had received death threats in the past.

"Free speech does not extend to death threats, as this is a serious crime that is meant to intimidate victims and silence their voices."

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