Sex Offenders Registry launched, to take effect April 1 — Voon
KUCHING: The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development finally launched the Sex Offenders Registry with names of some 3,000 reported offenders from 2017 to Feb 18 this year.
The registry, which was launched in Parliament on Tuesday, is expected to take effect on Monday (April 1), says national Parti Keadilan Rakyat ( PKR) vice women chief Voon Shiak Ni. The Sex Offenders Registry was launched pursuant to the gazetting of the Child Act (Amendment) 2016.
“Child and sexual abuse incidents are happening almost every day, and the case two years ago that involved Richard Huckle, a British serial paedophile, who had abused many Malaysian toddlers and children under the guise of a teacher had sent shock waves across the nation.
“In light of Richard Huckle’s shocking case, the call for the Malaysian government to introduce the Sex Offenders Registry has never been louder by the civil societies and the Malaysian Bar,” she said in a statement received here Friday.
Many countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, France, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea have long adopted the Sex Offenders Registry.
Voon said the amendment to the Child Act was tabled and approved by Parliament in 2016.
She said a heavier sentence with a fine of RM50,000 and jail of 20 years for convicted child abusers followed the amendment.
“The amendment also includes putting in place a Sex Offenders Registry as a measure to curb and prevent the heinous crime.”
Voon urged all stakeholders such as child care institutions, schools and other children nongovernmental organisations ( NGOs) to take note of the new registry and have access to the system as part of their safety measures in protecting children under their care and supervision.
With the registry, she said they could screen potential employees or workers whether they had records of child abuse offences before engaging them.
“Of course, the issue of implementation is still the core factor to ensure the effectiveness in curbing and preventing the crime. It would be good to make it mandatory for child-care related centres to do screening on their potential employees by submitting their identity card number to the Welfare Department,” added Voon.