Hannah: What about victimised babies, did they seduce men too?

A PKR senator's proposal for a sexual harassment law to "protect" men from being seduced into sexually violating women has caused an uproar.

Women, Family, and Community Development Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh (above) is appalled by Mohd Imran Abd Hamid's remarks.

"Babies and young children have been victims of a similar crime. They do not know how to seduce men, yet they become part of the statistics.

"God did not make men equal with animals. Men were given will power to decide, to think, to exercise restraint.

"I am appalled that the Senate housed such discussion, even agreed by the (Senate) Deputy President (Abd Halim Abd Samad)," Yeoh told Malaysiakini.

Earlier Mohd Imran, who is a retired navy admiral, had said there needs to be a law to protect men from the actions, words and clothing of women, so they do not commit crimes such as incest, rape, and molestation.

This is not Imran's first time making such remarks, In 2015, as then Lumut MP, he had said the "sexy attire" of athletes could lead to illicit sex.

Yeoh said women should not be blamed for their clothing, noting that women who cover up are also subject to harassment and rape.

She added that even men can be raped by other men.

"Rightfully, there should be an apology to all women for such distasteful comments," she said.

A sexual harassment law has been in the pipeline for years, but this is the first time the issue has been spun in such a way.

Yeoh previously said police statistics from 2013 to 2017 show that men made up 21.1 percent of sexual harassment victims.

Meanwhile, the All Women’s Action Society (Awam) had complained that authorities do not take sexual harassment seriously, even laughing at complainants and thus allegedly enabling perpetrators. - Mkini