Guan Eng: No way out for Shabudin

Chief minister says the Penang state assembly will table a motion next month to 'strongly condemn' the Penang MP’s remarks, regardless of his explanation.

GEORGE TOWN: Shabudin Yahya cannot explain his way out of his controversial remarks in Parliament, DAP’s Lim Guan Eng said today, repeating his call for the Tasek Gelugor MP to step down.

When told that Shabudin had claimed his debate speech was taken out of context by the media, Lim said what Shabudin had said was on record and could not be disputed.

“You see his clip… you see his video clip – it says something else.

“He is trying to deny the undeniable. He does not want to admit what he said is wrong.

“He has now two wrongs – one for saying it and one for denying he said it,” the Bagan MP said today.

Shabudin courted controversy when he said it would be “safer” for rape victims to marry their rapists.

He was also quoted as saying: “They reach puberty at the age of 9 or 12. And at that time, the physical state of their body is already akin to those who are 18 years old.

“So physically and spiritually, it is not a barrier for the girl to marry.”

Today, he said the word “rapist” was referring to those who had sex with minors, that is, statutory rape, and that the issue had been sensationalised by the press. He now plans to sue the dailies which he claimed had tarnished his image.

Lim, who is Penang chief minister, said the state assembly would table a motion next month to “strongly condemn” Shabudin’s remarks, regardless of his explanation.

Lim said although the state assembly has no power to remove or censure Shabudin, it would serve as the strongest voice of condemnation against him.

He added that child marriages should not be sanctioned, especially in the context of rape victims.

“He is saying rapists can turn over a new leaf (by getting married to the victim). That by itself is wrong.

“So we regret the failure of the Barisan Nasional’s top leadership to address this seriously and, of course, there is anger among women, especially.” -FMT