PETALING JAYA: The burden of solving the issue of sexual harassment faced by athletes should not fall solely on youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh, says a former national swimmer.
Cindy Ong said it was promising to have Yeoh, who has experience enacting the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, leading the ministry but that alone is not enough to solve the problem.
“We’re talking about an entire governance system here, including the police and legal system, which are closely linked to one another.
“Even though I want justice for myself, I understand how complicated the issue can be. Yeoh will need to work with others to improve the system,” she told FMT.
The former Olympian said society cannot expect overnight changes as the issue has been ongoing for a long time.
Last year, Ong revealed that she faced sexual harassment at the hands of a national swimming coach while taking part in a competition abroad.
She also claimed the same person had sexually harassed at least 10 other athletes.
National diver Pandelela Rinong also recently disclosed that she had to endure a torrent of sexual jokes from one of her coaches for seven years.
She said she shared her experience to raise awareness and to offer support for other victims to come forward.
Yeoh, who started her first day as youth and sports minister on Dec 6, said she would use her experience in enacting the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act to ensure the safety of athletes.
In March, former youth and sports minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu said a draft of the Safe Sport Act, intended to handle complaints of sexual harassment in sports, would be ready by the end of the year. - FMT
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