KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry must implement stricter measures to protect workers, following a case in which a female employee was sexually assaulted and later transferred to another department after lodging a complaint.
Petaling Jaya member of Parliament Lee Chean Chung convened a press conference at parliament today after receiving a report from the Peninsular Malaysia’s Southern Region Electronics Industry Trade Union regarding their union member.
“Besides stricter action, I would like to suggest to the government to develop a mechanism to lodge complaints anonymously, for example, by using official applications which would feature the functions of an anonymous response mailbox, for victims who fear revealing their identities”, he said.
He said that such an application should allow a victim to lodge complaints anonymously and seek case updates via the application.
Regarding the case at hand, Lee said that the matter is currently under police investigation.
“The Anti-Sexual Harassment Tribunal hearing under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022 is ongoing, but the problem is at the workplace.
“The victim was transferred to another department while the perpetrator remained at the same department.
“The rights and dignity of every individual, regardless of gender or position, must be protected,” the government backbencher said.
He added that a domestic enquiry was pursued and carried out by the employer, but he was made to understand that it was unsuccessful.
The case allegedly occurred at an electronics factory in Batu Berendam, Melaka, where the victim was hugged, touched and the perpetrator, who was her supervisor, pulled her bra.
The perpetrator allegedly only received a final warning from the company.
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