Bung Mokhtar takes issue with 'sexually stimulating' airport pat-downs

KUALA LUMPUR: Outspoken Sabahan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin has claimed that some passengers are being "fondled" (diraba) at Malaysian airports and may be "sexually stimulated" as a result, while undergoing security pat-down checks.

Bung Mokhtar (BN-Kinabatangan) questioned why Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) did not use handheld scanners for passengers who had triggered metal detectors at security checkpoints, but resorted to manual pat-downs instead.

"It makes passengers uncomfortable when they have to undergo such inspections.

"This is dangerous because it may be sexually stimulating (menaikkan nafsu)," he said, drawing laughter from the floor.

He said that checks conducted on women were gentle, but men had to go through a rougher process.

"They check us all over our bodies and sometimes touch us in places that can cause discomfort," he added.

Bung Mokhtar claimed Malaysia and Philippines were the only Asean countries that continued to employ manual body checks at their airports.

He called on MAHB to invest in handheld scanners and provide training to their staff on how to use them properly.

The atmosphere in the Dewan grew boisterous as he continued pursuing the topic, which prompted Deputy Speaker Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said to ask Bung Mokhtar to "move on" to other topics.