KUCHING: A political secretary to the Chief Minister has commended Datuk Pandelela Rinong for speaking out about her sexual harassment experience in her early diving days.
“As the youth’s role model, Pandelela has done it right by sharing her experience of sexual harassment in order to raise awareness and provide support for other victims to come forward If they have suffered similar incidents.
“Sexual harassment is abhorrent and there must be no tolerance for it in any career field,” said Soo Li Ching in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 27).
She urged Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal to show his concern and uphold the overall wellbeing of the Malaysian society by looking into the matter responsively.
“This is to ensure the authority responds to the call of ‘Keluarga Malaysia’ as advocated by our Prime Minister. Regardless of when the incidents happened, necessary measures must be suggested and proposed in amending existing practices so that similar incidents can be dealt with and minimised in accordance with the law.
“I admire Pandelela’s bravery in exposing the past incident and the minister should appreciate her for being brave to raise up the matter in order to make things right,” she said.
She added that politicians should treat this matter as a serious social issue instead of making it a political agenda.
“Regardless of party backgrounds, we should all come together and show no tolerance for sexual harassment,” she said.
