GEORGE TOWN – DAP lawmaker Kasthuri Patto has expressed her disgust over Kedah police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat’s denial of the reports lodged by S. Yoshita against her husband, saying that it is a setback for all victims and survivors of domestic violence.
The Batu Kawan MP also slammed Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, urging him to come forward and explain why police have yet to take any serious action to render justice for Yoshita, who also suffered from two miscarriages.
“She endured kicks, punches, starvation, being dragged down the stairs, her hair being pulled, being strangled, slapped, spat on and verbally abused, as well as suffered two miscarriages throughout her marriage due to incessant beatings and psychological abuse.
“No action was taken against the man after nine reports were made on a domestic violence case. Hamzah must come clean and explain why Kedah police have not taken serious action to render justice for Yoshita,” she said in a Facebook post today.
She said the authorities’ apparent disregard to Yoshita’s pain displays a lack of seriousness and sends a grave message in addressing the gravity of the crime.
She also asked whether their inaction will plant doubt in the minds of Kedah folk and Malaysians as a whole that police reports would instead mean no action whatsoever.
“It is this sort of thoughtless statement by the man on top, (who) trivialises the suffering of this woman at the evil hands of her abuser, that may deter many others to come forward to make reports of their sufferings so that the abuser is reprimanded and justice, served.
“The home minister has always maintained his knee-jerk reaction of issuing statements on immigration policies.
“After 48 hours, I – as well as fellow Malaysians, particularly Yoshita – am still waiting for a statement of an order to show cause of the inaction and playing down the abuse and violence this woman had to endure, not just for 12 years, but after nine reports made against him (the abuser).”
Yoshita herself had slammed Kamarul Zaman for his denial yesterday, describing it as “insensitive and shocking”, when she has proof of her reports.
Kasthuri said the victim has made eight reports from February until April 4 in Kedah and Selangor, including submitting a medical report on the assaults against her on April 4 in Kedah.
The ninth report was made by a family member against her husband over manhandling.
So far, Yoshita has been given a protection order by the magistrates’ court in Petaling Jaya, and has her 2-year-old son with her.
However, both her daughters, aged 7 and 11, are with her husband in Sg Petani, Kedah. She has not seen them for the past three months.
“Any parent would ache to know whether their children are in safe hands. Clearly, it is a risk for them to be under the same roof of an abusive husband,” said Kasthuri. – The Vibes, July 21, 2021
