What about justice for the Indonesian maid? MCA asks govt amid Perak exco’s rape probe
(MMO) – Putrajaya should intervene and provide the necessary support to the alleged rape victim of Perak state executive councillor Paul Yong, MCA said today.
The Opposition party’s state Bahasa Malaysia bureau chief Cally Ting called out the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and Home Ministry, saying the Indonesian worker who made the complaint has not been given fair attention in the publicity blitz compared to Yong.
“I want to remind all that when a person said that Yong is innocent, they are also implying that the victim is lying. Is this accusation fair to the victim?” she asked in a press conference at the Perak MCA headquarters here.
“The government must step in to assist this Indonesian maid and improve the existing security system for foreign workers so that they have a safe working environment,” she added.
Ting said politicians from his DAP party especially, have been actively going all out to proclaim his innocence.
She pointed to the solidarity gatherings held at various DAP offices in Kampar, Taiping and Batu Gajah statewide and said that these demonstrations of for the Perak lawmaker also carried an adverse message to the public about his accuser.
“The authorities should stop all these gatherings and message-sharing as it will affect the public opinion on the rape victim. The investigation is still going on and they should let the authorities decide who is innocent and who is not,” she said.
“Do not shame or blame rape victims, because even if it’s an indirect participation, your hands will be as equally dirty,” she added.
Citing from a recent report by the Women’s Centre for Change, Ting said the data showed fake rape reports is low at only 2 to 3 per cent.
She said the Indonesian’s rape claim might not be fake, “however, I leave it to the police to investigate the truth”.
Ting also asked the public to be supportive of the alleged victim, saying it took courage to report an incident involving a person with high social status.
Yong, who is also the Tronoh assemblyman, is in the spotlight following news of the Indonesian worker’s police report filed Monday, in which she claimed that he had raped her at his house in Meru here.
Police arrested Yong the next day and recorded his statement before releasing him on bail.
Perak Police chief Datuk Razarudin Husain said statements were taken from both Yong and the 23-year-old Indonesian worker, with medical examination also performed on both as part of the investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code for rape.
