SIS slams ‘reactive’ approach to child sexual abuse cases

 

Sisters in Islam reiterates its call for an independent children’s commission, free from political interference and answerable only to the best interests of children.

PETALING JAYA: 

Sisters in Islam (SIS) today hit out at federal and state authorities alike over their “reactive” response to crises, especially cases of child sexual abuse.

In a statement, the women’s advocacy group expressed frustration with what it described as the cycle of temporary media outrage and short-lived responses from politicians that followed such crises.

“We’ve seen this cycle before: the shocking headlines, the media interviews, the statements from politicians, then silence. Outrage is temporary. The victims remain,” it said.

“Politicians often play saviour only when asked, not when it matters. Their statements are reactive, not transformative. Where is the proactive leadership? Where is the accountability?”

SIS’s statement followed news that Kelantan had recorded 252 cases of rape and incest between January and April 2024 – a 22.3% increase from the same period in 2023.

Menteri besar Nassuruddin Daud said the state government had held regular educational programmes at mosques, suraus, and schools, but that these efforts would be ineffective if parents did not help monitor their children.

Describing this as a tendency to shift responsibility to families, SIS said such rhetoric ignored the reality of abuse inside the home.

“State leaders repeat the same script: ‘We need stronger family values.’ But what about state responsibility? What about the systems that failed to prevent this abuse in the first place?” it said.

“This ideological obsession with ‘moral decay’ distracts from the real crisis – a state that polices skirts and concerts more than it protects children.”

SIS also reiterated calls by civil society for the establishment of an independent children’s commission, saying the current system under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia lacked the necessary resources, independence, and public visibility.

“This is not just a bureaucratic upgrade – it is about building a mechanism with teeth, capable of acting without fear or favour, even when state narratives are uncomfortable,” it said.

It also questioned the effectiveness of national frameworks like the National Policy on Women.

“Where is the monitoring of implementation? Where is the alignment across ministries and states? Why are girls in Kelantan being raped while policy sits on paper?”

Calling for a deep, structural shift in the country’s approach to child protection, justice, and education, SIS said a state that “responds to abuse with lectures on modesty is not just”.

“An education system that never teaches consent is not protective – it is complicit.

“We should not let this issue disappear with the news cycle: answers – not performance. Reform – not deflection.” - FMT