Rape is no joke, MPs tell deputy IGP

FMT:

Rape is no joke, MPs tell deputy IGP

Kasthuri Patto and Maria Chin Abdullah have slammed the deputy IGP’s comment that a rape threat against a student was ‘possibly a joke’.

PETALING JAYA: The country’s second-highest ranking cop has come under fire from two MPs who have accused him of trivialising a rape threat made against a teenage girl.

In separate statements, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto and Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah criticised deputy inspector-general of police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani for his remarks on a police report made by a student who was threatened with rape.

The girl, 17, had lodged a report that a classmate had threatened to rape her after she called out her teacher for making jokes about rape.

Yesterday, Acryl Sani was reported to have said that the classmate’s rape threat was possibly a joke.

Kasthuri, of DAP, said Acryl Sani’s remarks normalised rape culture and belittled the victim.

She questioned if he would say the same if such a threat was made against a policewoman, or a member of his family or that of a high-profile leader.

“His irresponsible, unintellectual and insensitive remark is the very reason why female and even male victims, whether young or adult, hesitate to lodge a police report when they have been sexually violated,” she said.

She urged Acryl Sani to “brush up on his knowledge” on rape culture, victim shaming, mental health awareness and international standards on police code of conduct.

“Don’t discredit the good work done by the rest of the force because of your own ignorance.”

Maria, meanwhile, said she was shocked with Acryl Sani’s “irresponsible and ignorant” statement.

“The act of rape, be it committed or verbalised, is never a joke as it is violent, humiliating and brings up motives of anger. It is about a show of power over a vulnerable victim,” the PKR MP said.

She called on Acryl Sani to apologise for his remarks.

Separately, former education minister Maszlee Malik said “normalising sexual harassment is immoral”.

“A threat is a threat. Rape is not a joke,” he said in a tweet.