KUALA LUMPUR: The Sexual Harassment Bill may be presented in the Dewan Rakyat by Dec 16, according to deputy women, family and community development minister Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff.
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She said once the attorney-general’s chambers (AGC) and the Cabinet had approved it, the bill would be tabled for first reading during this parliamentary session.
“When the attorney-general approves the bill, we will bring it to the Cabinet. After scrutiny by the relevant ministries, if approval is obtained, we will present the bill to Parliament,” she told the Dewan Rakyat today.
She was replying to Noorita Sual (PH-Tenom) who asked about the government’s commitment to introducing the Sexual Harassment Act.
Siti Zailah said that so far this year, 775 sexual harassment cases had been reported and investigated by police.
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These cases were handled through laws such as the Penal Code, Employment Act (1955), Communications and Multimedia Act (1998) and the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (2017).
She said the ministry had also conducted 53 programmes to increase awareness of sexual harassment through the women’s development department.
In July last year, women, family and community development minister Rina Harun had said the bill would be tabled in 2020 as it was in the final stages of being drafted.-FMT