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Make sex offenders registry public, says activist

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Sharmila Sekaran says potential employers or community heads should be able to have quick access to the information.

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SHARMILA-SEKARAN
Sharmila Sekaran, who chairs a children’s rights NGO, said the sex offenders registry should separate convicted offenders from those accused.

PETALING JAYA:
An activist has suggested making the sex offenders registry public for employers and community leaders.

Sharmila Sekaran, who chairs an NGO known as Voice of the Children, said: “There must be an avenue for certain people, such as potential employers or the head of a community, to quickly and easily have access to the information in the registry.”

She said the registry should contain two sections: one for child sex offenders who have been convicted, and another for those who have been accused but not convicted.

The public should be allowed to access the first section while the second section should be limited to enforcement bodies, she said.

Sharmila was commenting on reports that a Malaysian child psychiatrist practising in Ireland was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years’ imprisonment for grooming and sexually abusing a teenage girl.

Amirul Arif Yunos, 38, pleaded guilty to six counts of engaging in a sexual act with a child, one count of sexually exploiting a child, and one count of meeting a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

Child rights activist Hartini Zainudin suggested that background checks be required for positions involving work with children, which is similar to the current system where employers can request checks from the welfare department.

Hartini Zainudin
Hartini Zainudin.

“Public access would make it easier for employers, particularly those working with children, to evaluate potential employees,” she said.

Hartini suggested providing public education about the registry’s purpose and limitations, as well as support services for both victims and rehabilitated offenders.

She also proposed time limits for sex offenders’ names to be put on the public registry depending on the nature of their offence and rehabilitation efforts.

The Sexual Crime Registry System, which is managed by the welfare department, was launched in April 2019. To access the registry, applicants must must provide their MyKad number, visit the welfare department in person, and explain the purpose of the check.

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