KUALA LUMPUR – Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for the empowerment and protection of women have slammed Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun after the tabling of the much-awaited Sexual Harassment Bill was postponed yet again.
They lamented that the delay has shown just how much damage the change in government in March has done to the advancement of women’s rights.
Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) advocacy director Yu Ren Chung said the country cannot afford more delays in such critical policy reforms.
“This shows the price the nation has had to pay as a result of the Sheraton Move,” Yu told The Vibes, in reference to a meeting held in February among political leaders allegedly planning to form the new government.
In her winding-up speech at the Dewan Rakyat today, Rina had pointed to the regime change as one of the main reasons for the delay in the tabling.
She said the bill will be tabled next year, as opposed to introducing the legislation in Parliament in the current sitting, as there are some amendments to be made.
Rina, who is a minister with the Perikatan Nasional administration, was also a cabinet member during the Pakatan Harapan government before it collapsed.
Referring to numerous studies, Yu pointed out that an alarming number of women and some men have faced sexual harassment, creating an urgent need for legislation to combat the problem.
In 2019, a YouGov survey suggested that 36% of Malaysian women and 17% of men have experienced sexual harassment in learning institutions, offices and public places.
In fact, a study done this year by WAO and market research company Vase Technologies showed that 62% of women had experienced sexual harassment at work.
“There’s already a draft bill that was put together by a joint committee consisting of government, civil society groups and academics,” Yu said.
“The minister needs to be championing this.”
Date of tabling needs to be set
Meanwhile, All Women’s Action Society (Awam) operations manager Nisha Sabanayagam lauded the fact that the bill was at least brought up in Parliament after a long period of silence.
Adding that it is good that there was a definite statement that the bill will be tabled, she nevertheless emphasised that it should have been tabled sooner.
“A change in the government may have caused a bump in the road, but since the bill was ready and merely at the point of being tabled, I think this was a bump that the government could have handled,” she told The Vibes.
She added that if there is a need for amendments or further questions, the government could have referred to stakeholder organisations involved in the matter.
“Moving forward, it would be good to set a date as to when the bill will be tabled.”
Since October, Awam has received 17,000 signatures in support of enacting laws to tackle sexual harassment.
“The people clearly want a standalone sexual harassment act. Regardless of the government of the day, their duty is to answer the call of the people, especially in comprehensive social policy, such as the Sexual Harassment Bill,” Nisha said. – The Vibes, December 8, 2020
