No rush-job: MPs want anti-sexual harassment bill reviewed

 

MPs have called for a review of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill to ensure that it is survivor and victim-centric.

“We must make sure this bill is comprehensive enough. This bill should be survivor-centric or victim-centric and ensure that protection is given to them,” Senator Fadhlina Sidek said in an online press conference today.

Meanwhile, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto highlighted the role of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Women and Children Affairs and Social Development in reviewing the bill to fill in the gaps.

“I agree that it should have gone through the select committee first, and I trust that the experts in the select committee will be taken seriously and the needful amendments are made, to ensure that it is not a watered-down, weak bill,” she said.

Batang Lupar MP Rohani Abdul Karim also hoped that the bill can be reviewed to be more holistic.

“What I saw lacking in the bill was what is there to protect the victim?” the former women, family and community development minister said.

The Anti-Sexual Harassment bill was first tabled on December 15 last year and is set for a second reading in the current parliamentary meeting, which began today.

Teo Nie Ching said that while she is happy to see that the bill is being tabled in Parliament following a long delay, she added that there is still room for improvement. 

“I support that we need to widen the scope of the act so that the prohibition on sexual harassment applies to everyone regardless of employment status,” the Kulai MP said.

Male involvement

Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil and Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii echoed Teo’s statement, adding that the review of the anti-sexual harassment bill should not be seen only as a women’s issue, but also as a societal concern.

“My greatest wish is to see more male MPs speak up about this. Not only in support of having an anti-sexual harassment bill, but also a better bill.

“I have heard cases where there were a lot of challenges for those who seek justice. Parliament starts today, I hope to see this bill in its entirety so we can have a good discussion then,” Fahmi said.

Yii, who is also the chairperson of the select committee, further explained the importance of reviewing the bill to ensure that it does not end up oppressing and discriminating against those it is trying to protect.

“Sometimes bad laws have been paved with good intentions, but a rushed bill is a bad bill itself.

“As a chairperson of the select committee, I am fully supportive of the bill being pushed to the committee to ensure that it is comprehensive and there is proper engagement and has some level of bipartisan support before it is being tabled,” he added.

The amendments

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG), Engender Consultancy, and Young Women Making Change said there are significant gaps in the bill, especially in terms of proper redress and prevention mechanisms to protect victims of sexual harassment.

In a memorandum, the group included recommendations to amend the anti-sexual harassment bill:

1. Include organisational duties to prevent and address sexual harassment.

2. Extend the definition of sexual harassment in the bill.

3. Include a clause protecting complainants to ensure that survivors and victims feel safe in reporting their experiences.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah urged that the bill be properly discussed at the committee level to ensure that a fairer and just law is passed in Parliament.

“When we first started, we had a petition by the Women's Centre for Change and then proceeded another 30 years of lobbying for the bill to be debated in parliament. 

“I hope that there is no more backtracking from the government’s side,” she said. - Mkini