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Call 999 to report cases of sexual abuse. |
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Friday, 21 September 2007 |
KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Sept (The New Straits Time) -- Parents could be jailed if they allow their children to come to harm. This was one of the immediate measures taken by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in the light of the Nurin Jazlin Jazimin case.
The ministry has vowed that it will do everything possible to ensure there is no recurrence of such cases.
Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil said that in the past, her ministry had been reluctant to act against errant parents as it deemed it sensitive to get involved in people’s family affairs.
But in the light of recent incidents of missing children and sex crimes committed against them, Shahrizat vowed to be more firm on such issues.
“The law allows us to take action against parents who neglect their children. So from now on, if we find out there is a family that wilfully neglects the children, we will bring them to court.”
She was speaking after a closed door meeting with various non-governmental organisations, the police and field experts to decide on immediate measures to be implemented to make Malaysia a child-safe nation.
Other measures announced include:
• Using the emergency number 999 as the main focal point for complaints from the public regarding suspicious characters.
Shahrizat said the 999 line was previously used for calling police and other emergency response teams.
However, with immediate effect, the line can now be used by members of the public to report on suspicious persons or to report cases of sexual abuse.
“If you see a suspicious stranger with a child or children roaming the streets on their own, call 999 and a squad car or a nearby police unit will be sent to investigate.”
• Implementing tracking devices on released sexual offenders.
To curb repeat offences and serial sex crimes from happening, the ministry and the police have agreed on the need to implement tracking bracelets on convicts to monitor their activities after their release. We will bring this issue to parliament immediately.
“Once a tracking system for sex offenders has been approved, their every move will be monitored by police.”
• Upgrading Teledera lines and recruiting more trained counsellors.
Teledera is the ministry’s help-line for abuse victims to seek help or to lodge reports.
Shahrizat said she planned to upgrade the line by “simplifying” the number and hiring more professional counsellors to guide the victims in seeking help.
The line will now also function as a report system for anyone concerned about the safety of children.
On why the ministry was only acting now despite previous sex crimes of a similar nature, Shahrizat said the ministry had done much to improve the laws to prevent and act against such offences.
“It’s not that we have not done anything. We have done all we can with regard to the law and policies. But the real solution lies in public participation,” she said.
“There is much apathy in the community today. People need to care for one another again.
“If you see a child running around alone, tend to him. If you see your neighbours neglecting their kids, report it.”
Shahrizat hoped that with the immediate measures in place, public sentiments on the safety of children and women in Malaysia would be restored.
“Also know that we are committed to fight not just the brutal crimes, but also crimes against women and children in general.
“We take every crime against women seriously, not just those highlighted by the media.” |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 18 January 2008 )
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