KUALA LUMPUR: Twenty women MPs have come together to demand the government to review the Standard-Operating Procedure (SOP) and existing policies over investigating reports of sexual harassment in schools and all educational institutions.
This came following two police reports made by 17-year-old Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam, one against her classmate for threatening to rape her and another against her school teacher for making a rape joke.
"The cases should be given serious attention by the government by taking action on the matter urgently.
"We urge the government to be concerned and serious, and protect the interest of the victims, especially school children, by addressing this issue immediately.
"We demand the commitment of the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to provide security assurance to students who are in school. Students should feel safe in school and protected by their teachers and not the other way around," the statement read.
The statement also said the MPs had issued a letter to the Prime Minister on May 3 on the matter.
The MPs who came together for this bipartisan cause were:
(1) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang)
(2) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Pandan)
(3) Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong)
(4) Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Masjid Tanah)
(5) Teresa Kok (Seputeh)
(6) Yeo Bee Yin (Bakri)
(7) Hannah Yeoh (Segambut)
(8) Teo Nie Ching (Kulai)
(9) Fuziah Salleh (Kuantan)
(10) Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Kota Belud)
(11) Kasthuriraani Patto (Batu Kawan)
(12) Maria Chin Abdullah (Petaling Jaya)
(13) Rusnah Aluai (Tangga Batu)
(14) Nurul Izzah Anwar (Permatang Pauh)
(15) Nor Azrina Surip @ Nurin Aina (Merbok)
(16) Alice Lau ( Lanang)
(17) Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort)
(18) June Leow Hsiad Hui (Hulu Selangor)
(19) Noorita Sual (Tenom)
(20) Wong Shu Qi (Ahli Parlimen Kluang)
Student Ain Husniza made headlines after posting her experience at a school lesson involving a male teacher who allegedly made a rape joke in the presence of both male and female students.
It was reported that following her claim, Ain Husniza had also received rape threats online. She, however, received overwhelming support from the public since she took the matter to social media including lodging police reports against her teacher and peer.
The hashtag, #MakeSchoolsASaferPlace was also trending on social media following Ain's case and also the issue of alleged period spot-checks in schools to spot whether female students were trying to skip their prayers. The tag is to call on authorities to provide a safer environment for all students from harassment.
On April 28, Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said the ministry will not tolerate the issue of a teacher making jokes about rape.
He said the ministry was conducting a thorough investigation and would take the necessary action.