PETALING JAYA: Addressing sexual harassment requires shifting from a reactive compliance model to a proactive, culture-driven approach, says the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).
Its president, Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman (pic), said there should be clear anti-harassment policies beyond mere documentation by adopting a multi-layered approach, including digital conduct by combining prevention and enforcement.
“We need to strengthen preventive frameworks with regular training and awareness programmes for all levels, including management and integration of respectful workplace behaviour into codes of conduct and key performance indicators (KPIs),” he said.
He said reporting and protection systems must be strengthened by ensuring safe, confidential and accessible channels for people to report issues, along with robust and consistently enforced safeguards against retaliation.
“Investigations must be prompt, impartial and procedurally sound and outcomes should be consistent and proportionate, reinforcing accountability.
“Employers should avoid both underreaction and overreaction, maintaining natural justice principles,” he said.
Syed Hussain made this statement in response to the Tribunal for Anti-Sexual Harassment (TAGS), which revealed that co-workers accounted for 50 of the total 86 sexual harassment complaints received since its establishment on March 8, 2024.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry reported a concentration of complaints in the Klang Valley.
The ministry also said that online sexual harassment in Malaysia is expected to rise with the increasing use of social media.
Syed Hussain said that the rise of digital communication has blurred professional boundaries, whereby sexual harassment increasingly occurs via messaging platforms and social media, creating challenges in monitoring and enforcement.
He also acknowledged several gaps and challenges, particularly within the micro, small, and medium enterprises segment.
These organisations often lack formal systems, tend to rely on ad hoc approaches, and face constraints in their manpower capabilities.
He said in some workplaces, sexual harassment is still frequently unrecognised, or is normalised as “joking” or “informal behaviour”.
Law alone cannot transform workplace culture, he said, as many incidents arise from daily interpersonal interactions where boundaries are misunderstood, trivialised or ignored.
“The persistence of co-worker harassment indicates that compliance with the law is necessary but not sufficient; organisational culture, leadership accountability, and behavioural norms are equally critical,” he said.
Civil society groups echo these concerns, emphasising that the problem extends deep into digital spaces.
Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Nazreen Nizam said this had to be taken seriously because digital spaces are now part of daily life, work, politics and public participation.
When women and girls are targeted online with sexualised abuse, threats, humiliation or coordinated misogynistic attacks, it has a serious effect on their freedom of expression and participation in public life, she added.
“Addressing this issue requires action at several levels: stronger digital literacy and gender-sensitivity education, better platform accountability and moderation, faster reporting and takedown systems, and public institutions that are equipped to respond effectively when abuse escalates into threats, stalking or sustained harassment.
“But, in my opinion, legal avenues alone are insufficient. We also need sustained public education to challenge misogyny, including the harmful normalisation of toxic masculinity and the ‘manosphere’ – content online subcultures that promote hostility towards women as acceptable or entertaining,” she said.
“The long-term response must combine law, digital platform responsibility, education and a stronger culture of bystander intervention and accountability.”
Women’s Centre for Change programme director Karen Lai said legislative reform alone is not enough – the issue persists due to power imbalances, fear of retaliation, and weak enforcement.
She said policies exist, but workplace culture often hasn’t caught up – such behaviour is not only tolerated but even normalised.
“We need stronger enforcement, safe reporting channels, regular training and leadership accountability. Prevention, not just compliance, must be the focus,” she said.
“In the Klang Valley, higher workplace density and awareness mean more reporting. Younger people are also more willing to speak up, reflecting shifting attitudes.”
