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PETALING JAYA: Women’s Center for Change (WCC) is urging the Attorney General’s Office (AGC) to review its decision to drop a sexual harassment case involving a senior lecturer at the Universiti Malaya.
In a statement on Friday (September 11), the WCC said it was concerned that the AGC was not charging the lead professor because the university said it had taken action.
“The student in question filed a complaint with the university, as well as with the police.
Thus, it is the AGC’s role to prosecute the crime based on the evidence gathered in the police investigation.
“While internal and national investigations are treated as a private matter by employers, outrage over modesty and crimes under the Penal Code are considered crimes against the state and are prosecuted in the public interest,” the WCC said.
On August 30, the police said that the sexual harassment case involving the head professor at Malaya University was dropped after it was referred to the Deputy Prosecutor (DPP).
Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Zailrulnizam Mohd Zainuddin @ Hilmi said the DPP decided on this after noting that the university had taken action against the suspect.
The WCC said that it respected the discretion of the Attorney General in deciding criminal prosecution, but that the decision should be based on the evidence gathered.
He said he was aware that the university had taken action against the alleged perpetrator.
“This in itself cannot excuse the suspect from being charged,” added WCC.
Furthermore, the university did not disclose details of the action taken, citing confidentiality concerns, it said.
The WCC also said that it takes great courage for a victim of sexual harassment to speak up.
“Often times, the perpetrator is in a position of power and authority over the victim. WCC recently supported a victim of alleged workplace sexual harassment who filed a complaint with her company, as well as a police report.
“Our client suffered severe stress and, as a result, required medication for serious mental and emotional trauma,” the group said.
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