By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung. Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Friday, Sept. 18, 1987:
Call on the Cabinet to respond to the widespread concern and fear of parents about the safety of their daughters following recent spate of rape and murder cases in the country
Parents are literally living in fear about the safety of their daughters, following the recent spate of rape and murder cases in the country.
The wanton abduction, and death by suffocation of seven-year-old Gemencheh schoolgirl Chong Ser Lin on Wednesday, five months after the brutal rape and murder of nine-year-old Ang May Hong in Kuala Lumpur, have struck home to parents in Malaysia that suddenly, our society has become a dangerous place for young girls, even children.
I call on the Cabinet to respond, promptly to this grave problem, not only in ensuring that the police act speedily to bring the culprits to book, and receive the severest punishments, but to look into all other aspects which will create greater safety to women and young girls in our society, as in amendments to existing legislation to provide greater protection against sexual violence; education and fostering community and neighbourhood spirit which is always on the vigilance against such sexual violence.
To show the government’s serious concern for this grave problem, and the fears and worries of parents about the safety of their daughters, I call on the Cabinet to form a Cabinet Committee to study all aspects of the problem and come out with recommendations within three or at most six months on steps that government could take to make our society safe again for women and young girls.