IPOH, Oct 5 — The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has obtained approval to appoint a total of 10 panel members for the establishment of a tribunal related to the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022 (Act 840).
Its minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the members included the president and deputy president.
“After getting (approval) for the appointment, we need to submit it to the Ministry of Finance, which will examine the cost. We have to propose the salary rates and so on,” she told a press conference today.
In July, Nancy said the appointment of the tribunal members will be finalised before the end of this year.
The tribunal will also be responsible for determining the way the cases are to be handled under the act.
The Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022 was gazetted on October 18 last year after receiving the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on October 8.
Earlier in her speech, she said last year’s statistics showed that Perak and Sabah recorded 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 per cent, involved sexual harassment against women.
“In 2022, 35 cases of sexual harassment were also recorded across the country involving child victims,” Nancy said.
So far this year, there has been an increase in the number of sexual harassment reports lodged by men, with Kelantan recording the highest number of 52 cases, followed by Kedah with 36 cases, Sabah and Melaka (24), Terengganu (14), Selangor (13), Negeri Sembilan (10), Pahang (9), and Sarawak (five).
— Bernama
