Cabinet likely to accept death to child rapists

[edteam]

NEW STRAITS TIMES
Nov 14, 8:44am

Cabinet likely to accept death to child rapists
Hamidah Atan

SIMPANG PERTANG, Nov 14: The proposal by many quarters, including National Unity and Social Development and the Women and Family Development Ministries that the death sentence be meted out against child rapists is likely to be accepted by the Cabinet. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the tendency (by the Cabinet to accept the proposal) was "great."

He said he would be presenting a paper to the Cabinet on stiffer penalties against child rapists, including the death sentence, on Nov 26.

"It is very likely that the proposal will be accepted. However, we will have to wait for the official decision by the Cabinet on that day."

He said his ministry, however, had yet to compile the views by the experts.

"I believe that if stiffer punishment is not meted out," he said, "there will be no stopping to rape and murder cases whose victims also include innocent children."

The Government, via the ministry, the Attorney-General's Chambers and the police would try to meet up with the expectation and demand of the society to put an end to such cases.

"The Cabinet has voiced out its opinion that punishment for rapists and those involved in incest cases should be stiffer," he added.

Rais said he would ensure that in the event death penalty was not imposed, stiffer punishment, which included longer jail terms and increase in whipping, would be meted out against child rapists.


FULL STORY:
http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_New...41542/Article/

[GeneralDogsbody]

yes, by all means. truly it is very disgusting to hear rapists, of children or adults tp plead in court that they are - advanced in age, have old parents to take care, plenty of children as dependents etc etc and etc. these useless monsters should have known better in the first place, no excuses at all. but one thing though, if the rapist's victim is the child, niece, sister or grandchild, in order to not be the cause of her father, uncle, geandpa whatever being sentenced to death, would they refrain from ever reporting in the first place?

[edteam]

AFP on Catcha.com
Friday, 15 November 2002

Women protest Malaysia plan to execute child rapists


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (AFP) - Women's and rights groups in Malaysia Friday protested a plan to impose the death penalty on child rapists amid public outrage over the recent rape and murder of a two-year-old.

With the cabinet reportedly likely to approve the plan by the end of the month, 30 non-governmental organisations ranging from Sisters in Islam to Amnesty International voiced their opposition in a joint statement.

They said that while they were "greatly outraged and appalled" by child rapists, the death penalty would be counter-productive.

The rapists in most cases are known to the victims -- sometimes they are fathers or siblings -- and "making a child responsible for the possible death of someone who is in a position of trust and loyalty over her is grossly unfair", the statement said.

Of 161 reported cases of child rape in 2001, 83 percent were committed by people known to the victims. Apart from relatives they could be guardians, stepfathers, teachers or neighbours.

The groups urged the government to avoid the death penalty and instead focus on providing real justice to the survivor by facilitating reporting of the offence, punishment of the rapists and support for the victim.

Under existing laws, convicted rapists face a jail term of not less than five years and not more than 20 years and are also liable to be whipped.

Malaysian law already provides for death by hanging for murder and drug trafficking among other crimes.


FULL STORY:
http://news.catcha.com/my/content.ph...6.st18ro7f.txt

[edteam]

In Pakistan, rapists are hanged in public



Di Malaysia hukuman gantung dijalankan secara tertutup.
Gambar yang dirakamkan di Pakistan ini menunjukkan suasana
ketika hukuman gantung dijalankan keatas empat orang atas
kesalahan merogol.

Gambar ini dihantar oleh seorang pembaca, Mohd Farid Abdullah,
menerusi email kepada Agendadaily.

SOURCE:
http://www.agendadaily.com/details.php?id=53

[jeffooi]

THE STAR
Tuesday, December 03, 2002

Death penalty not appropriate for rape cases

RAPING a child is a heinous crime.

However, the death penalty may not be the appropriate sentence.

The child may then not be willing to testify against the rapist if the rapist is her own father or relative.

If so, the child will cause the rapist to be sentenced to death. This may cause further psychological trauma to the child.

This may also cause the child’s siblings or mother to hate the child for “causing’’ the father’s death.

Hence the child may be under tremendous pressure not to testify if the rapist is a close relative. More cases would be swept under the carpet.

Secondly, there have been several cases of “convicted rapists’’ released from prison after long prison sentences due to wrong conviction. DNA testing was used to prove their innocence.

If they had been executed for their “crime’’, the wrong sentence would have been irreversible.

Perhaps we should consider other alternatives. A lengthy prison sentence for first offenders and castration for repeat offenders may be appropriate.

CONCERNED CITIZEN,
Subang Jaya.
(via e-mail)


SOURCE:
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story...golx&sec=focus

[edteam]

NEW STRAITS TIMES
Monday, december 8, 2002

Rais to table death penalty proposal in Cabinet
Sarban Singh

KUALA KLAWANG, Dec 8: A proposal to send child rapists to the gallows will be tabled in Cabinet on Dec 18, despite strong objections from 30 non-governmental organisations.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, said the move could be instrumental in deterring child rapists.

He said perpetrators should not be charged with murder, even if the victim had died, as the law should reflect the seriousness of child rape.

"When you commit a sexual assault on a child and death ensues, then it is only proper that the death sentence be applied, whichever way you look at it.

"You cannot charge him for murder. The rapist must know that death could ensue as a result of sexual intercourse with a child," he said at his Hari Raya open house yesterday.

The proposal was originally intended to be tabled in Cabinet on Nov 27 following requests from the public, but it was not.

Last week, 30 organisations voiced their concern over the proposal for the death penalty for child rapists.

They feared the death penalty may decrease the reported number of child rape incidents as most of the cases were committed by a person in a position of trust and power over the child victim, making it difficult for the victim to challenge the credibility of a trusted adult.

"But they don't have substitute suggestions, they just don't like the death sentence. That's not good enough for us, they should substantiate their objections with reasons," he said.

Asked whether a decision had been made on the definition of a child, Rais said this has not been finalised.

"There is a suggestion now that it should include children up to 16 years but we have not made a decision on this. But the ages of 12 to 16 will be the bracket age, he said.


FULL STORY:
http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_New...70921/Article/

[edteam]

THE SUNDAY MAIL
Sunday, December 8, 2002

Is the death penalty really the answer?
Baidura Ahmad

No humane government finds it pleasant to mete out the death penalty but given the increasingly horrific nature of crime, coupled with overwhelming public opinion to carry out the sentence, a government may just have to make that controversial decision. Controversial because not everyone believes that the death sentence deters the heinous crimes that such a harsh punishment seeks to do.

Studies worldwide have failed to connect the death penalty with a reduced crime rate. The US, with the developed world's largest Death Row population and highest execution rate, also claims some of the highest rates of homicide, robbery and rape.

In Malaysia, the rising number of reports of rape committed on children – one of the youngest being a two-year-old toddler who was murdered after the rape – have prompted calls to impose the death penalty on convicted child rapists.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim is scheduled to table a proposal at a Cabinet meeting after the Hari Raya break calling for the death sentence to be imposed on child rapists.

He had received a lot of feedback over the proposal, including letters from abroad, and says he will take into consideration all views.

During the Cabinet meeting, he is expected to present a comparison between rape and incest cases, an overview of the entire problem, should it remain unresolved, and its implications for society.

"It is my view that should a rape victim die, then the public's view that a harsher penalty be meted out must be given due consideration," he says.

He says the police and Attorney-General are in favour of the death penalty for child rapists. But several human rights groups in the country are against the proposal.

A group of 31 organisations – which work on sexual assault, rape, child sexual abuse, violence against women and human rights issues – issued a joint Press statement recently, saying that the death penalty is not in the child's best interest. Those who signed include Women's Aid Organisation, Sisters In Islam, Protect and Save The Children Association of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Amnesty International in Malaysia.

To which Rais replies: "What is the activists' rationale and what is in their minds, that they refuse to accept the reality and gravity of this matter?

"They are not living in the real world. In fact, in Britain, where the death penalty has been abolished, there are calls to impose harsher sentences on those guilty of committing sexual acts which lead to death," says Rais.

Closer to home, Philippine records show that the number of robberies and murders fell sharply after peaking in the late 1980s whereas executions were not re-introduced in the country until 1993.

Amnesty International is, "unconditionally opposed to the death penalty as it violates the most fundamental of all human rights – the right to life. The death penalty is no solution to any crime, including that of sexual violence."


SOURCE:
http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_New...20021208115015

[lady-o-leisure]

This is a most depressing subject but it's a major problem involving innocent lil ones who might grow up with deep psychological scars. If the death sentence is to be ruled out, do we go back to the idea of castration?
Life-inprisonment will only overcrowd the prisons. Letting them go is a ridiculous idea as it's been well documented that rapists are very likely to commit the crimes again. It is a mental illness more than an act of fancy.
Where do we go from here? Time is flying... rapes are occuring everyday.

[ericgan]

We should have a harder punishment for rapist. I suggest that those convicted rapist should be jail at least 20 years and give 3 stroke of rotan very year on the date of every rape he has committed. This will remind the rapist on that particular date they have cause pain to the victim that she have to live with it forever.