Kota Kinabalu: DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) Sabah is calling on authorities to enhance enforcement and reform outdated laws to better protect women, journalists, and the general public from harassment and intimidation.
Dapsy Sabah Chief Chan Loong Wei voiced strong support for recent concerns raised by the Sabah Journalist Association (SJA), stressing the importance of safeguarding the rights and safety of both media practitioners and women.
“The safety of our community is non-negotiable,” said Chan.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});“Today’s victims could easily be our mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, or valued female colleagues. It is the duty of authorities to ensure that our laws are strong enough to deter harassment, intrusion, and intimidation.”
He condemned recent incidents involving unidentified individuals disrupting press coverage, saying such actions jeopardise journalists’ safety and undermine the integrity of professional reporting.
“Such behaviour is unacceptable in a society that values justice and truth,” Chan stated.
Chan also cited a recent case in Kota Kinabalu, where a 22-year-old man was fined RM25 or sentenced to three days in jail for intruding into a women’s restroom —punished under the Minor Offences Ordinance of Sabah.
Dapsy Sabah criticised the leniency of the sentence, arguing that it reflects the inadequacy of current legal frameworks.
“Treating harassment and violations of women’s dignity as minor offences sends a dangerous message. These are serious matters and must be met with significantly tougher penalties,” the statement read.
The group urged prosecutors to pursue stronger legal avenues, such as Section 509 of the Penal Code (insulting a woman’s modesty) or criminal trespass, both of which carry harsher punishments.
Dapsy Sabah also called for an immediate review and revision of the Minor Offences Ordinance, so that penalties reflect modern societal expectations and serve as effective deterrents.
“The safety of women, the freedom of journalists, and public confidence in our legal system must be protected. Justice must not only be served — it must be seen to be served,” Chan said.
Dapsy Sabah reaffirmed its commitment to advocate for stronger enforcement and meaningful legal reforms to build a safer, fairer society for all.