www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/why-not/2016/06/10/sex-offenders-registry-long-overdue-the-call-for-the-sex-offenders-registry-is-loud-with-the-likes-o/
Sex offenders’ registry long overdue
The call for the sex offenders’ registry is loud. With the likes of Richard Huckle and other paedophiles in our midst, we need to know who the dangerous people are. But is anyone listening? ON the night of Aug 20, 2007, a little girl went shopping for a hair clip near her neighbourhood in Wangsa Maju. She was dragged into a white van and went missing.
A month later, a bag was found outside a shoplot in Petaling Jaya. The body of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin was inside the bag. She had been brutally – and sexually – assaulted by some monster.
The cries for a registry of sexual offenders, especially those involved in child sex, began then.
The beast that hurt and killed Nurin is still walking in our midst.
On Jan 9 the following year, another little girl was playing in a field at PJS2, not far from where Nurin had been found. She was whisked away in a van.
The community searched every inch of the area. I should know. I live not far from there and was in some of the search parties.
To this day, Sharlinie Mohd Nashar has not been found, and we have no idea what happened to her. She would be 13 if she were still alive. The parents are holding out hope that she is.
And the registry of child sex offenders is still not to be found.
There have been many other cases.
Five-year-old Nurul Nadirah Ab--dul--lah went missing on March 1, 2012. She was found sexually viola-ted and burnt at an oil palm plantation. In her case, at least, a man has been sentenced to hang. But, to quote theWashington Post, a thousand hangings would not be punishment enough for such an animal.
Then, there was Norshakila Ramli Abdullah Choo – just six – raped and battered to death with a hammer and her nude body thrown into a drain and Siti Nurliyana Shamimi Rosdi, raped, killed and dumped by a river bank. She was a two-year-old, for God’s sake.
And where is the registry to warn us of people who can harm our kids? Our politicians are still talking about the legislature.
Now, we have another monster who walked in our midst, preten-ding to be a do-gooder and violating children and boasting about it online. He even had the audacity to plan a guideline book on how to groom and have sex with children.
It took the British to arrest him and throw him into jail. Richard Huckle must never walk a free man, ever again.
What sick mind would boast about documenting how a five-year-old grew into a 12-year-old, while bedding her throughout? The children, he proudly says, were like puppies. Even his parents were absolutely horrified at what he had done.
Now it is being said that our police knew about him back in November 2014 while he was still in the country but could not do anything about him. It raises questions. Why was he not arrested here? The British had the evidence. He was on the Internet, even if it was the dark side of the Net.
And what of our own Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin, a brilliant maths student who had over 30,000 videos and photographs of child pornography, complete with a life-sized mannequin of a boy? He was said to have been found with 601 “Category A” videos and images, showing pe--netrative sexual acts with children.
It is said he is back in town. His whereabouts are secret. He is pro-bably being protected from any attacks. But is he the one who needs protection?
One politician has come out to say that Nur Fitri should not be spoken of in the same context as Huckle. Their misdeeds may have been different, with Huckle by far the more vile animal, but it’s only the degree that’s different. The crime remains the same.
Someone – at least, the police – should know where he is and keep tabs on what he is doing back in the country. An announcement by the police would help.
And that registry? Where is it? The laws to protect our children must be implemented fast. Like Wanita MCA chief Datuk Heng Seai Kie said, the names of convicted paedophiles and rapists need to be exposed. Parents and their children need to be protected. Social media has to be kept in check to make sure chat groups are not started up with photos of children lifted from elsewhere on the Net.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri says amendments are being made and there is progress in the amendment of the laws.
No! Now is not the time to be making progress. Now is the time to be making the law. And making sure the culprits are thrown into jail. With the keys thrown away too, if possible.
The PAS Private Member’s Bill can wait. This is urgent. Far more urgent.
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Post time 13-6-2016 04:30 PM
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Post time 13-6-2016 06:01 PM
