KUALA LUMPUR – Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican has ordered his officers and the National Sports Council (MSN) to contact and assist former national swimmer Cindy Ong, who has claimed to have been sexually harassed during her swimming days.
Reezal said that they would help lodge a police report about the acts committed and assured that MSN would provide full cooperation to police in their investigation.
He said that he was very touched, angry, and disappointed to learn of what Ong and other athletes had to endure after a media outlet recently highlighted her claims.
“Matters like this can and will continue to happen to anyone, whether athletes, officers, coaches or support staff; male or female, if no action is taken.
“For me, there is no compromise or protection for any coach or official if found guilty. There shall be no cover-ups and no room for predators,” he said in a statement on Facebook today.
Reezal also said that no national athlete should endure such harassment because every athlete and official should have a safe environment at the national training centre to develop their talent and sporting potential without any disruption.
As such, he said his ministry and MSN would fully support and continue to empower platforms such as the MSN Athlete Representative Committee, the MSN Misconduct & Harassment in Sports Committee and the Athletes’ Commission under the Olympic Council of Malaysia, for athletes and officials to be able to come forward easily if any unwanted incident occurred.
At the same time, he reminded Malaysians not to condone such harassment without taking any further action.
“We all have families, children, wives, and siblings who might be exposed to such threats. It is difficult for us to handle the thought of being unable to protect the ones we love,” he added.
Malaysiakini recently carried an expose by Ong and another former national swimmer who were sexually harassed and sexually assaulted for years during their time as national swimmers. – Bernama, May 26, 2021
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