Wan Azizah calls on govt to prioritise tabling of Sexual Harassment Bill
Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has called on her former ministry to prioritise the tabling of the Sexual Harassment Bill in Dewan Rakyat, which was initially slated to take place last March.
The former women, family and community development minister said this after her successor Rina Harun failed to outline a detailed timeline for the much-awaited bill in the latter’s parliamentary reply yesterday...
PARLIAMENT | Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has called on her former ministry to prioritise the tabling of the Sexual Harassment Bill in Dewan Rakyat, which was initially slated to take place last March.
The former women, family and community development minister said this after her successor Rina Harun failed to outline a detailed timeline for the much-awaited bill in the latter’s parliamentary reply yesterday.
Rina had later replied to another question that the new government was aiming to table the bill during the third Parliament session at year-end.
The ministry had begun working on the anti-harassment bill under the Pakatan Harapan administration, which had been part of the coalition’s GE14 election manifesto.
It’s tabling in earlier this year was derailed after a full Dewan Rakyat session was postponed in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was also after the collapse of the Harapan government.
“The women, family and community development ministry had set to introduce the bill last March, complete with a more comprehensive definition of sexual harassment, more effective complaint and solutions mechanism, remedial elements and penalties; as well as recommending appropriate and fair standard of proof of burden for all parties involved.
“I urge the ministry to prioritise the tabling of the bill as soon as possible as many victims (women, men and children) of sexual harassment cases do not have a proper channel to make complaints and for action to be taken against the perpetrators,” Wan Azizah said.
The PKR’s Pandan MP had sought Rina’s response as to when the bill was to be tabled and what steps are in place to ensure victims’ cases were properly addressed until that time.
In her written reply, dated yesterday, the new minister said pending tabling of the new law, sexual harassment cases would come under the purview of various existing laws and regulations.
These included the Penal Code; Employment Act 1955; Clause 4A of the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993; Code of Practice on the Prevention and Eradication of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace 1999; and 2018 service circular on Guidelines for Handling Sexual Harassment Cases in the Workplace in the Public Service.
She added that the Public Service Department is currently developing sexual harassment in the workplace intervention module for use by psychologists or counsellors who handle such cases.
Govt drafting anti-stalking law
In a later written reply to a related question by Batu Kawan MP Kasthuriraani Patto yesterday, Rina (above) claimed her ministry was currently unable to table the bill in part, due to the change in government.
“Approval, based on Feb 5 Cabinet meeting, was obtained...However, taking into account the change in the current government structure, the proposal for the bill to be tabled must be presented once more to the Cabinet for consideration and decision by the current government.
“The ministry plans to table the bill for the first reading during the third meeting on the third term of the 14th Parliament 2020, slated for the end of the year,” she said.
The next House session is slated to be held on Nov 2 to Dec 15.
“The ministry is of the opinion that there could be a need for consequential amendments to be made to other laws to ensure the meanings and objectives are aligned with that new act,” she added.
Meanwhile, she also replied to Kasthuriraani’s question regarding the status of plans to criminalise stalking, also an initiative under the previous government.
She said the working committee formed last year to study this, chaired by the legal adviser to the Prime Minister's Department and managed by the legal affairs division, has held various sessions with related parties including women’s group and police.
A working draft has been developed to amend the country’s Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.
Once the draft is finalised, the legal affairs division is looking to a Cabinet memorandum to allow amendments to the laws so that harassment and stalking are made criminal offences.
Former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong has initially said a bill was drafted and the previous government had intended to table it last year.
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