| February 3, 2017
Selangor DAP's Yeo Bee Yin reminds 3
Cabinet members on promises made since May 2015 after story about Malaysian
student convicted in UK for child porn came to light.
PETALING JAYA: Three Cabinet members
were called out by Selangor DAP assemblywoman Yeo Bee Yin for the government’s
lack of action and delay on the issue of the sex offenders registry.
The urgency of the matter was
stressed by Yeo who highlighted the news of the impending return of convicted
serial rapist Selva Kumar Subbiah from Canada after serving his 24 year jail
sentence.
“He was suspected of violating as
many as 1,000 women and girls and was described as ‘the worst offender with the
highest risk ever’ by the chairman of the Immigration and Refugee Board of
Canada at a hearing after Selva’s release last Sunday.
“Upon the breaking of the news, many
women’s groups had once again urged Putrajaya to establish a proper sex
offender registry, the purpose of which is to ensure proper monitoring of sex
offenders,” Yeo said, adding that Putrajaya must give a time frame as to when a
proper sex offenders registry can be established.
Yeo, who is also the social media
strategist for DAP, said the call for a sex offenders registry had been made as
far back as May 2015 when the story broke about a Malaysian student convicted
in the United Kingdom for possession of child pornography.
“Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department Nancy Shukri agreed with the call for such a registry after the
public had been outraged over convicted student Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin, who
owned over 30,000 videos and photographs of child pornography, possibly
returning to Malaysia,” Yeo said, lamenting the fact there had been no
follow-up since by the minister.
Yeo also reminded Women, Family and
Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim that it has been six months
since the Child Act Amendment 2016 was gazetted.
This amendment includes the setting
up of a child registry that contains records of convicts who committed crimes
against children, including sexual crimes.
“We read yesterday that her ministry is
meeting with the police to finalise the child sex offenders registry ‘very
soon’.
“It has been six months since the
law was gazetted, we would really like to know how soon is her ‘very soon’?”
The Sun reported last November that
Rohani had said the sex offenders registry was expected to be ready by the end
of last year.
Rohani said the child registry, to
be placed under the social welfare department, would contain information on
offenders for crimes including sexual offences, under any written laws where a
child had been the victim.
“But the register is confidential
and will not be made accessible to the public. The register not only contains
information on convicts who have undergone their punishments, but also
information on victims, whose identities must be protected,” Rohani had been
quoted as saying.
Yeo also criticised Deputy Home Minister
Nur Jazlan who had said there were concerns the sex offender registry would
infringe on the rights of the sex offenders.
“We would like to remind the
minister that the rights of women and girls in Malaysia for a safe environment
is equally if not more important than the rights of the sex offenders.”
She added it was unacceptable that
after so many years of “studying about the matter”, Putrajaya still doesn’t
seem to have a clue as to how to have a proper sex offender registry, that
takes into account human rights and recidivism.
“We call for quick action from the
three Cabinet members – Nancy, Rohani and Nur Jazlan to get their act together
and have the sex offenders registry established once and for all.”
Comments
If sex offenders’ registry is setup then have to
all add in registry most of the ruling BN leaders present and past. No can do
as it will embarrass them
No comments:
Post a Comment