KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Central Women Chairperson, Datin Jennifer William strongly condemned the alleged statement
Datin Jennifer William.
by Tasik Gelugor MP, Datuk Shabudin Yahaya on child raped victims can obtain a ‘good’ life if they marry their rapist.
“Rape is the worst sexual abuse that can be inflicted on women and children. To say to have a ‘good’ life by marrying the person who raped you is insulting and degrading,” she said.
She said such statement was against the government’s prerogative in protecting the rights of women and children in the country and she urged the government to take a more proactive role in criminalising parties that disrespect women and children.
In view of child marriages, Jennifer affirmed that child marriage is not the way to legitimise sexual advances and claims on children or minors.
She said Shabudin should have a firm grasp on the concept (of child marriages) and context before issuing such provocative and offensive statement.
Jennifer said as for rape cases involving family members or relatives, it was morally and ethically wrong to marry their own family members or relatives.
“It disgusts me that such rape occurs within the family circle. It disgusts me even more to hear that rape victims should marry their rapist in order to have a ‘good’ life,” she said.
Jennifer asserted that SUPP Central Women stood on its own principles on sexual abuse against women and children. She also called on Shabudin to make a public apology for making such statement.
Meanwhile, SUPP Kuching Branch Chairperson, Datuk Lily Yong said she was left totally aghast by Shahbudin’s statement.
She said such statement should not have come from a member of parliament.
“It is shocking to know that in this era there are men who still live in the medieval era and treat women as an object devoid of feelings.
“For an MP who represents Malaysians to make such statement is atrocious. This reflects badly on Barisan Nasional (BN) and also UMNO. The Prime Minister must look into this and ensure that the MP should not stand in the next general election,” she said.
When debating the Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017 at the Dewan Rakyat last Tuesday, Shahbudin, a former Syariah Court judge, claimed as some girls reached puberty as young as the age of nine, it is not impossible for them to get married as they were ‘physically and spiritually’ ready, adding there was ‘nothing wrong’ with a rape victim marrying the rapist, as it could serve as a ‘remedy’ to the increasing number of social problems.
Yong said having sex with a minor whether consensual or not is an offence under the law (statutory rape).
“It is an embarrassment to our Prime Minister to have such MP in his team. I think he (Shabudin ) should apologise and step down. That would be a remedy for women’s feelings that he has hurt,” she added.
