Hannah: Shorten time period for sexual harassment probes in civil service
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has proposed to shorten the allocated time period to investigate cases of workplace sexual harassment in the civil service, said Hannah Yeoh.
The deputy minister said they were of the view that the 21-day period, as per current standard operating procedure (SOP) in the civil service, was too long for victims to endure...
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has proposed to shorten the allocated time period to investigate cases of workplace sexual harassment in the civil service, said Hannah Yeoh.
The deputy minister said they were of the view that the 21-day period, as per current standard operating procedure (SOP) in the civil service, was too long for victims to endure.
She said the ministry was also looking at revamping the SOP so that all sexual harassment reports go towards each public agency's Integrity Unit, instead of current practice of going through a victim's immediate superior.
"The current SOP is that when you have a sexual harassment case, you report it to your immediate boss. But in the case of Sungai Buloh Hospital, when your perpetrator is your immediate boss, what happens?
"So now we are revamping the SOP within the civil service to make sure it goes to the Integrity Unit and not your immediate boss. A neutral body will take the complaint.
"And also, we want to cut short the timeline for action to be taken, because in the case of workplace sexual harassment, it affects you when you go back to work the next day.
"That is why all SOP to investigate such cases must be shortened. Even 14 days can seem like forever when your perpetrator is your colleague," she told reporters after launching a forum on sexual harassment held at the ministry's headquarters in Putrajaya today.
Yeoh, who is Segambut MP, was referring to the case of a medical specialist and head of department at Sungai Buloh Hospital, who was recently sacked over sexual misconduct allegations by doctors under his supervision.
Regarding the case, she added that many quarters had raised questions about why the specialist was only sacked from his job and had not faced criminal charges.
Yeoh said that it was difficult for the victims to come out and testify, and they had specifically said that it was the furthest they were prepared to take the case.
The victims, she said, also wanted to ensure that they remain anonymous.
Meanwhile, on the same note, Yeoh also urged the public to stop circulating contents of an anonymous email that detailed alleged sexual misconduct at BFM 89.9 radio station.
"As much as I understand the intention of the writer to highlight and expose these cases, there were also many names of survivors and girls mentioned in the note which is now being circulated.
"I appeal to the public to stop circulating and penalising the victims again and again in the public domain," she said in her speech.
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