FOREIGN Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman was right when he said the government viewed the case of Mara-sponsored Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin's conviction seriously and would not condone such acts, which constituted crime against children.
The student’s offence and his conviction are serious, and it is unthinkable for anyone to argue a case for appeal against the conviction.
In the light of Nur Fitri’s case, questions have been posed by the public with regard to their concern over repeat offences in the future.
With this in view, the time is right for the government to set up a mechanism to register and track child sex offenders in the country.
The government should establish a registry of convicted paedophiles, which should be made public. The need for a sex offenders’ registry is imperative and the response from various quarters has been positive. In fact, this proposal was brought up several years ago. Initially, the police felt that there was no need for such a registry, but subsequently, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar gave the nod to set up a database of sex offenders if the government wants to proceed with it.
The corrective measure of convicting a sexual offender is only made after the damage has been done, but this does not work as a deterrent. The argument that there is no need for a sex offenders’ registry because there are not many cases involving paedophiles does not hold water. Are we to wait for more cases to happen before we set up a registry?
Besides Nur Fitri’s incident, the case of a Taiping primary school headmaster who allegedly sexually abused pupils in April this year is still in our minds. So, the need to have a registry to “blacklist”
these offenders and expose
them would be a great service
to the community.
It should be made known to our community that people placed on the sex offenders’ registry are barred for life from working in occupations that put them in direct contact with children.
Those who argue for those involved in child pornography to be given a second chance do not understand the pernicious nature of the offence and its link to child sexual abuse and trafficking, which has caused untold harm and suffering to millions globally.
In Malaysia, child abuse, including child sexual abuse, is on the rise. It should be a matter of serious concern to both the government and the public.
Malaysians are still traumatised by the case of 8-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazmin, who was kidnapped and sexually abused. Her body was later found inside a bag.
It has been generally known that paedophiles do not repent just because they are caught. They do not think they have done anything wrong and will be repeat the offence once freed. That is why it is essential that the identities of sex offenders and predators be placed in a registry, their movements monitored and tracked, and prevented from repeating their offences.
It is also vital for the government to introduce stringent laws against pornography in cyberspace. All forms of pornographic websites should be removed from the Internet. Pictures of naked babies and young children must not be shared on social media.
Mara, being a government agency, should have zero tolerance for child pornography and abuse.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, vice-chairman, Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation, Kuala Lumpur