SEXUAL harassment against women representatives have become more frequent but is never acceptable, said Bandar Utama assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaluddin, who lodged a police report after receiving threats of murder and rape on Facebook.

“As a wakil rakyat, this always happens but getting used to this type of harassment and threat doesn’t mean it is okay or acceptable,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

She lodged a police report not just for her own safety but because there was a responsibility to act against those behind such threats.

“(It is about) solidarity with all online victims. Many cyber victims ended up committing suicide because of these nasty comments.

“I hope the police will take it seriously and make sure fair action is taken against them.”

Jamaliah lodged the police report on May 20 after receiving threats from a Facebook user with the name “Najid Nabi”.

The account was created just the day before and the harassment began the very next day.

Besides Jamaliah, other women elected reps who were targeted were Kg Tunku assemblyman and Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah.

Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto, meanwhile, said the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) should be taking swift action on such threats as they have the laws and means to do so.

She highlighted provisions in the Communications and Multimedia Act on abuse of network facilities to harass another person, and the Penal Code’s provisions on criminal intimidation.

“The lack of urgency and action on the part of the police and MCMC to nab these sort of threats of murder and rape will continue to allow them to make threats freely.

“Today, it is these two representatives. Tomorrow, it could be someone in our family or our work colleagues,” said Wanita DAP international secretary

“We need our authorities, police and MCMC to act with utmost importance and priority when handling cases of death threats, rape, cyberbullying, and sexual harassment online using the existing laws.”

She added that Malaysia also needs a sexual harassment bill urgently and further amendments to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code to criminalise bullying and cyberbullying. – May 26, 2020.