Malaysian senator withdraws proposed anti-seduction law after backlash

A Malaysian senator on Thursday tendered an apology after proposing a sexual harassment law to protect men from being “seduced” by women into committing sexual crimes.

Mohamad Imran Abdul Hamid’s proposed law was strongly disapproved by politicians and women’s rights groups, who said men blaming women who are most times victims of sexual crimes cannot be tolerated .

Mohamad Imran,who is a member of the ruling coalition’s People’s Justice Party, had told the senate on Wednesday such a law was needed to “ensure men are safe and the country is peaceful”.

I would like to suggest to the minister, if we could create a Sexual Harassment Act for men to deal with the acts, speech or dressing of women that could seduce men into committing incest, rape, molest and pornography, among other things.

We also need to be protected, because due to what women wear, we are seduced and end up breaking the country’s laws and face prosecution, he said, according to a video posted on the website of the New Straits Times newspaper, viewed by Reuters.

Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of People’s Justice Party and touted as the next prime minister, had called on Mohamad Imran to retract his words, saying they were an insult to women.

In a statement he said

The proposal gives the impression that men were immoral and easily seduced into committing vile acts.

Mohamad Imran on Thursday apologised for his comments.

While my intentions were sincere, I did not expect it to be seen as a huge mistake that has offended many women and no less men who considered it insulting, he said

Executive director of Sisters in Islam, Rozana Isa, in a statement insisted men must be held responsible if they commit sexual harassment and rape, regardless of what women wear .

Men should police their own thoughts, words and actions and not take crimes committed by men against women lightly, she said .

Mohamad Imran’s comments coincided with the release on Wednesday of a study into Malaysian men’s attitudes towards sex, sex education, and consent.

According to the report by the Centre for Governance and Political Studies, just 35% of 2,000 men interviewed for the study correctly identified consent as a verbal “yes” agreement from their sexual partner.

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