Stop abusing purported rape victim! Stop circulating her photo

Wanita MCA implores on the public to desist circulating a photo of a young adult woman, purportedly to be the domestic maid who was allegedly raped by DAP Perak Exco Paul Yong. Likewise, all wisecracks and snide comments about the lass in the photo should cease.

The photo which has gone viral since the afternoon of 15 July 2019, unnecessarily exposes the person to public mockery, stigmatisation and could even place her life and those of her family members at risk.

Besides sexual abuse, a rape victim will be impeded with lifelong emotional trauma. Narrow-minded chauvinists and misogynists will also judge and paint rape victims as promiscuous, not decently attired and the cause of the sexual assault.

This case involves a two-term state Assemblyman and a first-term Perak Exco for Local Government, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs and New Villages Committee. Thus, a higher level of public scrutiny will be zeroed in on the victim, given the political connotation especially when it involves a politician whose party is in power at both the state and federal level.

Respecting judicial independence, we should let the police investigate the case smoothly and independently, devoid of any political pressures from the powers that be.

Why does DAP suggest detaining rape victims?

Meanwhile, DAP Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng must be taken to task for his plain misogynistic suggestion that the police should detain the alleged rape victim.

Do other DAP women leaders, namely Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Hannah Yeoh, MESTECC Yeo Bee Yin, Minister of Primary Industries Teresa Kok, Penang Exco for Women, Family Development and Gender Inclusiveness Chong Eng conform with Lim Lip Eng’s views? If they do not, they must immediately rebuke his suggestion, but strangely, all DAP women have maintained silence on this. Does their elegant silence imply approval of Lim Lip Eng’s idea.

Does Lim Lip Eng even realise that despite her lowly status as a domestic worker, he still has to respect her passport, similar to how we Malaysians expect other nations to respect our passports. Does DAP intend to confiscate the maid’s passport to ensure she does not depart the country?

Restricting an innocent victim’s movement is clearly a gross violation of human rights and tars the victim as a criminal. Strange, that the Kepong MP, a lawyer by training and practice, and a federal lawmaker too could actually put forward an uncanny and even unlawful recommendation. The mere idea of detention conjures up the image of imprisonment, being put behind bars. Why assign guilt to the victim before the authorities have concluded their probes?

Wanita MCA reiterates, let the police probe the case unhindered by political pressures.

Datuk Heng Seai Kie
Wanita MCA Chairperson

-MCA online-