Period spot checks: Minister's silence 'may allow harassment to persist'
Bandar Utama assemblyperson Jamaliah Jamaluddin has warned that Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin’s silence on the reported period spot checks at schools might allow the sexual harassment of children to persist.
The DAP lawmaker said since the matter has not been addressed months after it surfaced, it appears the Education Ministry lacks the willpower to act on the serious allegations involving children.
“(There is) no further news of immediate action, although it should have been initiated immediately because it is a crucial step forward to protect our children.
“It is not a sensitive matter to be handled, there's nothing controversial about protecting our children with a safer environment so it only leaves us with the reason that there isn't any willpower and it's not taken seriously by the ministry," she told Malaysiakini.
Jamaliah said because of this attitude, students might face harassment from period spot checks in future (especially when school starts).
“So, we really are demanding an answer...
Bandar Utama assemblyperson Jamaliah Jamaluddin has warned that Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin’s silence on the reported period spot checks at schools might allow the sexual harassment of children to persist.
The DAP lawmaker said since the matter has not been addressed months after complaints surfaced, it appears the Education Ministry lacks the willpower to act on the serious allegations involving children.
“(There is) no further news of immediate action, although it should have been initiated immediately because it is a crucial step forward to protect our children.
“It is not a sensitive matter to be handled, there's nothing controversial about protecting our children with a safer environment so it only leaves us with the reason that there isn't any willpower and it's not taken seriously by the ministry," she told Malaysiakini.
Jamaliah said because of this attitude, students might face harassment of period spot checks in future (especially when school starts).
“So, we really are demanding an answer, not only (on) what will be done, but also with an appropriate timeline and explanation of the timeline.”
She added that this would include an explanation on why such duration was taken to set up the committee and challenges faced by the ministry in setting it up.
Similarly, PKR senator Fadhlina Sidek echoed this call for action from the ministry.
“He (Radzi) did mention that (an independent) committee will be formed to look into this matter, but to no avail.
“Period spot checks are harassment. Does (the) education minister allow such harassment (to) happen in school? Did they compromise (their stand on) harassment when they went silent about it?
“Schools (are) supposed to be a safe place for children - not a place of harassment or traumatic experience," she said.
Various groups and public figures - including the All Women’s Action Society (Awam), Azalina Othman Said, Rafidah Aziz, Anwar Ibrahim, Hannah Yeoh, Teo Nie Ching and Maszlee Malik - have also called for the ministry’s action on the matter since the incidents were first reported in April.
Independent committee
Similarly, members of the cabinet - such as Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Rina Harun - have expressed their dismay at the occurrence of such incidents.
At the time, the Titiwangsa MP vowed to engage with the relevant authorities to ensure that the practice was stopped.
In June, Radzi, who was also the minister then, said that the Education Ministry was in the final stages of forming an independent committee to look into existing procedures that addressed complaints on the practice of period spot checks in schools, as well as other related matters.
Key details on the probe’s committee have yet to be disclosed to the public.
The ministry’s initial investigation - which was carried out in response to public outcry and reported complaints - purportedly did not indicate that such practices and other disturbing incidents had occurred.
These incidents - some of which date back to 20 years ago - allegedly include showing blood-soaked sanitary pads, performing vaginal swabs with either cotton buds, tissues, or fingers, or having a teacher, warden or school prefect pat the students down at the groin to feel if they were wearing a sanitary pad.
In response to the inconclusive investigation, Malaysiakini submitted a list to Radzi, which named 15 schools where female students were allegedly subjected to period spot checks to prove that they are menstruating.
“From June until now, we have heard nothing. Did they actually formed the committee, did they actually went through all the reports made by Malaysiakini?
“The Education Ministry should have, by now, established its own child policy protection, especially on how to deal with such harassment involving children,” said Fadhlina, who is also the head of legal and community development of PKR Women.
A copy of the list was also sent to Radzi’s deputies, Muslimin Yahaya and Dr Mah Hang Soon, as well as the ministry’s secretary-general and Corporate Communications Department.
The list was sent along with other details, such as the dates of alleged offences (most of which dated from 2011 to 2018) and the wardens or teachers who were named by the students.
The names of the alleged victims were not included in the list.
Separately, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) had also conducted its own investigation on the practice of period spot checks in schools administered by the agency.
However, it has yet to release a statement on the findings of its investigation, contrary to what was initially promised by Beaufort MP and Mara chairperson Azizah Mohd Dun on May 6.
