Teen wants apology for lewd comments, some allegedly by teachers

 

Teenager Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam has demanded an apology from those who left lewd comments about her body under social media postings on her interview with Malaysiakini yesterday.

The teenager, who recently lodged a police report against her teacher for allegedly making a joke about rape, posted a video on TikTok and Twitter seeking an apology.

The lewd comments include those commenting on the size of her breasts, her body shape and how the photo of her clad in a long-sleeved top was a "challenge for men trying to observe the fast during Ramadan".

Others condemned her for not covering her aurat, and said her dressing was the reason she is the subject of sexual harassment.

Malaysiakini has removed various lewd comments and barred errant commenters from leaving comments on the news portal's Facebook page.

The news portal had interviewed Ain (above) and her father, both of whom consented for Ain's photo to be published alongside the interview. 

"If you really want to make a change, start speaking out when you see this sort of paedophilic, grooming behaviour by adults.

"We must let them know it is time for them to take accountability for their actions. Start speaking up. #MakeSchoolASaferPlace," the 17-year-old said on Twitter.

"Do not let my fight be in vain. I am willing to go through all this if it means no student will ever have to go through or feel what I feel right now. For our next generation. For us. Make a ruckus," she added.

'Bringing shame to the teaching profession'

Some of the lewd comments came from Facebook accounts, whose owners claim to be school teachers.

Malaysiakini cannot independently verify if teachers were the ones who had left such comments.

Commenting further, Ain's father Saiful Nizam Ab Wahab said lewd comments purportedly by teachers bring shame to the teaching profession.

"I feel sorry for the teaching profession which is increasingly smeared by trashy individuals like these," he said.

Saiful Nizam said teachers are already facing a lot of challenges in teaching today, and need not be smeared by lewd comments left by their colleagues.

"From a rape joke (by a teacher) to a rape threat by a student, and now body shaming and cyberbullying by teachers?"

He added that the lewd comments also show how "sick" society is.

"Dear men. Please stop thinking with your genitals," Saiful said.

Malaysiakini summoned over report

Ain first came into the spotlight when her TikTok posting about an alleged rape joke by her teacher went viral on social media.

She has since lodged a police report against the teacher, and against a classmate who threatened to rape her, in response to her complaint against the teacher.

Police said it is investigating both matters seriously, while Ain's father said the student who made the rape threat has apologised.

Police have also received backlash when Deputy Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said police received a report from a student "regarding what may be a joke from her classmate, which she couldn't accept". 

The police report Acryl referred to was Ain's report on the rape threat. The report, sighted by Malaysiakini, did not refer to the alleged threat as "may be a joke".

Police said media reports were inaccurate and that Acryl was referring to an aspect of the investigation, and it is not his opinion that the threat was a joke. 

Malaysiakini and China Press have been summoned by the Home Ministry over their reports quoting the DIGP on the matter. 

- Mkini