THE Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has received approval to appoint 10 members to a tribunal under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022.

“After getting (approval) for the appointment, we need to submit it to the Finance Ministry, which will examine the cost. We have to propose the salary rates and so on,” minister Nancy Shukri told a press conference in Ipoh today.

In July, Nancy said the appointment of the tribunal members would be finalised by year-end.

She said the tribunal would determine how cases are handled under the act.

The Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022 was gazetted on October 18 last year after Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah consented to it on October 8.

Nancy said last year’s statistics showed Perak and Sabah had the third-highest number of sexual harassment cases in Malaysia after Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Out of 477 sexual harassment cases reported nationwide, she said 36 cases were recorded in Perak, of which 31 cases or 86% involved female victims.

“In 2022, 35 cases of sexual harassment were recorded across the country involving child victims,” she said.

She said this year, there was an increase in the number of sexual harassment reports lodged by men, with Kelantan recording the highest number at 52 cases, followed by Kedah (36), Sabah and Malacca (24 each), Terengganu (14), Selangor (13), Negri Sembilan (10), Pahang (nine), and Sarawak (five). – Bernama, October 5, 2023.