BFM89.9 forms independent committee to probe workplace sexual harassment claims

PETALING JAYA: Radio station BFM89.9 has formed an independent investigating committee, comprising lawyers to investigate allegations of sexual harassment in its workplace.

Its founder Malek Ali said this in a statement on Friday (Dec 7) that the committee is independent from its management team, and has been given the full mandate to investigate all of the allegations made on an anonymous letter circulated recently.

According to Malek, the independent investigating committee will report directly to a panel board consisting of independent non-executive directors of BFM.

“Staff at BFM have been given direct access to the investigating committee without the need to go through any management team members or supervisors,” he said.

“We welcome these findings and look forward to strengthening our social and reporting structures to better serve the needs of our staff, the people who have built BFM into an incredible institution it is today,” he added.

Malek stressed that the radio station is committed to being open and it takes any allegations made by its staff “with the utmost seriousness”.

He also said that BFM89.9 strives to create a workplace where every one of its staff members, regardless of gender, feels safe and empowered.

“We want to reassure both our listeners and staff members of the transparency in our approach to these allegations and seriousness with which we are treating them,” he added.

The allegations first surfaced through a circulated email of alleged sexual harassment at the radio station involving its employees.

The email, written by a former employee, alleged that the management had not looked into these harassment claims seriously.