Sabah to amend labour law to include workplace sexual harassment

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah is expected to amend its Labour Ordinance to outlaw sexual harassment in the workplace.

Sabah Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Yakub Khan referred to a 2019 survey done by the federal Women Development Department that of the 28,852 respondents aged between 21 and 40, 1,769 (6.3%) would lodge a report on sexual harassment, while the majority (93.7%) would not.

“In the same survey, 17,925 respondents or 62% said existing laws are not enough to address sexual harassment cases.

“We noticed many cases have gone unreported because the victims are afraid, traumatised, or not brave enough to come forward,” he said during the opening of the third series of the state-level Labour Convention here today.

The topic of the convention was “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Perception v Reality”.

Present was Sabah Labour Department Director Wan Zulkifli Wan Setapa, Sabah Union Affairs Department Director Noraini Ithnin, and Workers’ Safety and Health Director Zulkifli Yahya.

According to Wan Zulkifli, the anti-sexual harassment clauses to be added into the Sabah Labour Ordinance amendment are now in the works.

He said he hoped the clauses will be included in the state ordinance soon, adding that the move takes a cue from the passing of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2021 in Parliament in July this year.

Wan Zulkifli said this is part of the several initiatives being carried out by his department to combat sexual harassment in the workplace.

“At this point, we are also urging employers to carry preventive measures. A code of ethics is also being laid out to prevent sexual harassment from happening in the workplace.

“For instance, employers are urged to take a pledge rejecting sexual harassment.

“They are also encouraged to post anti-sexual harassment brochures in their premises and include anti-sexual harassment clauses into their employment contracts,” he said. – The Vibes, September 29, 2022