Netizens rap Rina for ‘silence’ on alleged sexual harassment at police roadblocks

KUALA LUMPUR – Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun has drawn flak from netizens for her “silence” on the spate of alleged sexual harassment against several women by policemen recently.

The Titiwangsa MP was the top Twitter trend in Malaysia, with over 10,000 tweets from frustrated netizens over the ministry’s stony silence regarding the allegations.

The claims of sexual harassment by police have become a hot topic over the past two days, with at least two incidences going viral.

Police said yesterday they were investigating an incident in which a woman – whose account now appears to have been deleted – claimed to have received text messages from a policeman who took down her phone number at a roadblock.

On the same day, police announced another investigation on a separate incident involving a woman who was asked to lift her blouse to avoid being fined at a roadblock near Jalan Duta.

Despite public outrage, both Rina and the ministry have yet to issue a statement on the matter at press time.

A Twitter user going by @amuse_gueule said: “Our girls are being harassed by men in uniform and this has been reported in the media.

“Where your response, and what is will your ministry do to make sure the harassment of women by men in PDRM never happens again?” she asked.

“Please do your job as a minister, YB!”

Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto also slammed the minister over her inaction.

“Not a single statement by (the minister) on sexual harassment by policemen,”

Kashturi added that Rina was also mum about the case of a 16-year-old child who was raped in police lockup by a detainee in Sarawak recently.

“Don’t tell me to remind you on your duty like what you said to me in Parliament last year.

“You are accountable to all of us, not just to me,” she said.

Another user Sophia Ahmad also called on Rina to voice her concern on the incidents.

“Waiting for Rina Harun’s statement on this,” she said.

Meanwhile, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil pointed out that Rina’s predecessor, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and the latter’s deputy, Hannah Yeoh, had released statements on the issue. 

The Lembah Pantai MP added that the Housing and Local government minister, Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, had also done the same although it was not her portfolio.

“There is hardly any statement on the issues that have been a hot discussion among the Rakyat,” Fahmi noted.

Earlier today, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Yeoh called for the incident near Jalan Duta to be investigated thoroughly and be given serious attention by the authorities.

“Sexual harassment in the form of lewd words is enough to make women feel uncomfortable, angry, and fearful which leads them to drive their vehicles traumatically and can cause severe accidents, apart from emotional and mental distress,” they said in a joint statement.

The two also called on the proposed Sexual Harassment Bill to be immediately tabled by the current minister in the next parliamentary sitting.

“The government must make the initiative to hold more training and courses on gender sensitivities to civil servants and enforcers from time-to-time to avoid such incidents from repeating,” they said