Bank officer pleads not guilty to sexual harassment charge

 A 52-YEAR-OLD bank officer was charged with two counts of sexual harassment at the Ipoh magistrate’s court today, with the incidents allegedly occurring three years ago.

Rosman Jamaluddin pleaded not guilty to charges of sending obscene WhatsApp messages to a 38-year-old woman on May 20, 2021, and August 18, 2021.

The messages were allegedly sent from a location on Jalan Perajurit, Ipoh Garden East.

The charges fall under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.

During the court proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Hidayu Zakaria requested bail of RM5,000 and a condition preventing the accused from disturbing the victim.

However, defence lawyer Khairil Azwar Khalil requested the court to reduce the bail amount, citing the accused’s high blood pressure, a slipped disc, and his responsibility to support his wife, four school-aged children, and his mother.

Khairil Azwar also noted that the accused is undergoing psychiatric treatment and expressed concerns about potential cyberbullying due to social media discussions.

Magistrate S. Punitha set bail at RM2,500 for both charges and ordered the accused not to interfere with the victim.

The court did not issue orders regarding social media discussions but advised monitoring of potentially prejudicial comments.

The next court date is set for November 25. 

In August, the National Union of Bank Employees (Nube) claimed that a bank in Ipoh denied justice to an employee who was allegedly harassed, intimidated, and ultimately suspended on 20 August 2024 for reporting incidents of sexual harassment against her.

In a statement, the union claimed that the female bank employee had been repeatedly harassed and bullied, including sexually, by her male superior since 2021. Despite numerous complaints, the bank took no action against the perpetrator.

“Unable to endure the harassment and intimidation any longer, the victim reported the matter to the union, and a police report was filed on 16 August 2024 regarding her claims of sexual harassment and bullying by her superior.

"Instead of addressing the issue with the union, the bank, in a desperate attempt to intimidate her, turned her into the target of an investigation. This intimidation is carried out to restrain the member from seeking union representation," claimed NUBE general secretary J. Solomon. - October 4, 2024