In a joint statement signed by MPs from various parties, including Umno and Opposition parties, the 20 MPs said they had yesterday written to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on this matter. — Bernama pic
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — A group of 20 women MPs have united across the political divide to ask Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to ensure that schools are a safe place for students, following allegations of a rape joke by a teacher and rape threats faced by a female student who exposed him recently.
In a joint statement signed by MPs from various parties, including Umno and Opposition parties, the 20 MPs said they had yesterday written to the prime minister on this matter.
“On May 3, 2021, we, women Members of Parliament have written a letter to the YAB prime minister to voice our concern over a case of rape joke that was alleged to have been made by a male teacher in a school and which was exposed by Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam, a student aged 17, and rape threats from her fellow students, which should be given serious attention and have immediate action taken by the government,” they said.
While noting that Ain had already lodged a police report, the 20 women MPs said they had asked the government to review existing standard operating procedures (SOP) and policies in relation to the investigation methods used on reports of sexual harassment at such schools and at all institutions of education.
“We urge the government to have a serious attitude, be caring and to take care of the complainant’s interests, especially school students, by immediately handling this issue immediately.
“We demand the YAB prime minister’s commitment to give a guarantee of safety to students in schools. Students should feel safe in school and be protected by their teachers and not otherwise,” the 20 MPs said.
The list of 20 MPs included Umno’s Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, PKR’s Pandan MP and former women, family and community development minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as well as DAP’s Segambut MP and former deputy women, family and community development minister Hannah Yeoh.
The 20 MPs’ statement appears to match the message used by Ain in her online campaign with the hashtag #MakeSchoolASaferPlace on Twitter.
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