R.AGE Newsflash: Malaysia's sexual harassment protections have big gaps, say experts

PETALING JAYA: The current laws and guidelines against sexual harassment have major gaps, say experts.

"Currently, there isn't much access to remedies, justice and protection," said Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) advocacy director Yu Ren Chung.

"This needs to be addressed in new legislation."

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG), of which WAO is a member, submitted a draft sexual harassment bill to the government in October, and the Women Family and Community ministry recently announced it would wrap up a three-month feasibility study on a sexual harassment bill

However, human rights lawyer Honey Tan added that proper implementation and information are just as important as new legislation.

"Legislation is not difficult, it's implementation," she said.

"There are already avenues for people who have been sexually harassed to take action. The government needs to tell people what they can do to come forwards and claim their rights if they have been sexually harassed."

Watch the full episode on sexual harassment laws and what a new sexual harassment law could look like. Newsflash is a weekly explainer series that dissects and discusses current issues. Watch the full series here.