KUALA LUMPUR – Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman has lodged a complaint with police over alleged verbal sexual harassment, urging those facing similar situations to be brave in reporting the matter.
“My purpose in making the report is to teach a lesson to all perpetrators of sexual harassment crimes. It is also to encourage other victims of sexual harassment crimes to bravely come forward, whether male or female,” the DAP politician said in a statement.
She said her special officer lodged a police report in Bentong yesterday against a social media influencer who made sexist and obscene remarks about her in his videos posted on his TikTok and Instagram accounts.
“The video then went viral and was shared by many others. In the video uploaded by the influencer, he has said some obscene words along with his body language which has made me uncomfortable,” she said, adding that she considered the remarks to be sexual harassment.
“I am open if anyone disputes my political views and ideology. Each of us is entitled to our own opinion. But what this influencer has done is a personal attack on me and it is also obscene, which affects my reputation and honour as a woman and MP.”
Young Syefura added that sexist statements and harassment are “not normal” and need to be stopped.
She also reminded the public that there is now an Anti-Sexual Harassment law in force after the Dewan Rakyat passed it in August last year.
“There is also a legal provision under Section 509 of the Penal Code which explains that anyone who intends to insult someone’s honour, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or shows any thing, with the intention that the words or sounds are heard, or so that the signal or thing is seen by the person, or disturbs the decency of the person, shall be liable to imprisonment for a maximum of five years, or to a fine, or to both.”
Her officer also lodged a separate police report over fraud involving a scammer’s message sent through Instagram claiming to be the MP’s representative for organising an income-generating programme. – The Vibes, July 18, 2023
