AUTHORITIES must probe allegations of sexual misconduct and funds misappropriation ascribed to a senior official at the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) instead of merely transferring him to another unit, civil society groups said.

They said it is not enough to move the person from his post at the Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU), which would still leave him employed and in a position of power.

“While removing him from his post from WRU sounds good, we don’t know what else they are doing exactly,” Sabrina Aripen of the Society for Equality, Respect And Trust for All Sabah told The Malaysian Insight.

Thirty-one civil society organisations and 289 individuals have issued a joint statement calling for an investigation into the person.

The person was named as former WRU manager Dr Senthilvel KSS Nathan by Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Jafry Arifin, who said action was taken on October 20, a day after the former described three of his female workers as “bitches”’in a Facebook post which he later removed after an uproar.

On the same day the post was written, ex-WRU staff Carolina Zulueta posted on Facebook a letter she had written upon her resignation in July 2019 to SWD director Augustine Tuuga, detailing problems at WRU and Nathan’s alleged misconduct.

Tuuga later told the Borneo Post that Nathan had been removed from his post at WRU but was still with SWD as its assistant director.

“First and foremost they need to remove him from his post completely. Even though he is no longer in WRU, he is still in the wildlife department. This means he is not completely removed.

“The power imbalance that exists in WRU is another reason why this matter had gone under the radar for so long,” said Aripen.

Cherlanne Patrick of the CSO Platform for Reform’s Sabah Chapter, said the allegations and the response from the authorities show that there is an immediate need for the sexual harassment bill to be tabled in Parliament.

“The issue of sexual harassment is not limited to just WRU, but there are many others out there in different organisations who have shared experience of disrespectful behaviour at the workplace.

“If we have the sexual harassment bill, these individuals won’t get away with just a slap on their wrist,” she said.

The All Women’s Action Society has been pressing for a sexual harassment bill for more than 20 years.

In Malaysia, the only acknowledged form of sexual harassment is in the Employment Act, which relates to sexual harassment at the workplace.

Last month, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Mohd Harun said an anti-sexual harassment bill was being drafted and would be tabled in Parliament this year.

Aripen and Patrick agreed that Sabah women have a lackadaisical attitude when it comes to sexist and rape jokes.

“A lot of Sabahan girls are complacent. They laugh at rape jokes. We can’t fully blame them, that’s the way they have been brought up. There is a need for education among this group,” Aripen said.

Dream job turned sour

Zulueta was a 24-year-old fresh veterinary school graduate from Mexico who thought she had landed her dream job in Sabah.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insight from her home in Mexico, Zulueta broke down in tears recounting her experience at WRU. She alleged that Nathan ran a hostile workplace where women were verbally harassed and the rangers were bullied.

She worked at WRU for ten months, from September 2018 to June 2019.

“There was an odd dynamic at work. Everyone was trying to keep him happy because that makes your life easier,” Zulueta said.

While she was there, Zulueta said she was one of four women working at WRU while there were 18 rangers, all men.

The women often spoke about Nathan’s behaviour among themselves but never dared speak up against him as they were afraid of repercussions.

“Many of the girls were young and it was their first serious job. We didn’t want to mess it up or look ungrateful for the opportunity, so we just complained among ourselves.”

Among their complaints were Nathan’s remarks to the staff WhatsApp group where he told female staff they had “pretty kissable lips” and that they looked “sexy in shorts”.

Zulueta, who was in Sabah on a work visa sponsored by WRU, said she was in constant fear that her visa would be cancelled if she spoke up.

Zulueta also noted how WRU seemed to suffer from a lack of funds despite getting funding from Malaysia Palm Oil Council.

“There was always not enough money. We had to rely on Sepilok OrangUtan Rehab Centre and Lok Kawi Wildlife Park for equipment, who had limited funds and supplies.

“It was frustrating for them as well, but they couldn’t say no because they were also under Nathan.”

She once had to brjng her own supply of medication for her pet cat as the WRU had run out, while vets were expected to pay for fuel, medical supplies and food for everyone else when they went out for field work.

Zulueta said she put her foot down and refused to give any money after the first few times but was driven to the ATM to withdraw casg.

“When we say we have no money, we get questioned on what has happened to our salary and what we spent it on.”

Enough is enough

After 10 months, Zulueta had had enough and decided to resign. That was when she wrote to Tuuga and hand delivered her letter to him.

She said Tuuga told her he had heard about problems with Nathan but said there was nothing he could do due to a lack of complaints.

Zuleta returned to Mexico but Nathan’s recent Facebook post, where he called three of his female staff “my bitches”, brought back the bad memories.

“When I left, I tried to do things officially. I gave the letter to Tuuga and I even went to the Labour Department.

“When I saw the post about the girls, it ticked me off. It has been two years and no one has done anything and he was just getting away with it.

“He’s calling women ‘bitches’ and people think it’s funny but there is so much more to it, especially the way he was treating them.”

Since her post on Facebook, Zulueta said she has been approached by new and old staff, men and women who shared similar experience working for WRU under Nathan.

“Many have reached out and it seems that he has been doing this for at least 20 years.

“He has to be removed from any position of power. There needs to be consequences for his actions.”

The Malaysian Insight has reached out to Tuuga’s office but has not received a reply.

State minister Jafry has also said the ministry will look into the allegations of financial misconduct. – October 24, 2021.