A Letter of Tribute from a Malay Mother to Penang CM - Lim Guan Eng
against the rape of a schoolgirl by a government minister. For
speaking out Lim Guan Eng was sentenced to three years imprisonment,
the schoolgirl to three years ‘protective custody’, the minister has
so far not been charged. [The Choice, Radio 4, BBC, May 1998]
No one familiar with the authoritarian regime that rules Malaysia with
an iron rod will be surprised, though they may be shocked by the
severity of the sentences.
Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik was Chief Minister of the State of
Malacca. He raped a 15-year old schoolgirl. Because of the rape
accusation and pending corruption charges he was forced to resign. To
date, no charges have been brought against him for the rape, the
corruption charges have been dropped.
The 15-year old schoolgirl was initially detained for 10 days without
parental consent. She has subsequently been sentenced to 3 years
‘protective custody’ in a house for ‘wayward girls’. At the subsequent
trial of Lim Guan Eng the girl gave evidence that she had a sexual
relationship with the minister (under Malaysian Law, under age sex
constitutes Statutory Rape).
Lim Guan Eng raised the anomalies of the case, after the girl’s
grandmother (the girl’s guardian), one of his constituents, brought
the case to him and sought his help. On 28 February 1995, Lim Guan Eng
was charged under the Sedition Act for prompting ‘disaffection with
the administration of justice in Malaysia ‘. On 17 March 1995, an
additional charge was brought under the Printing Presses and
Publications Act for ‘maliciously printing’ a pamphlet containing
‘false information’, specifically that he had used the term
‘imprisoned victim’ to describe the rape victim.
At his first trial in 1997, Lim Guan Eng was convicted on both counts
and fined RM 15,000 (US $6,000). The State appealed to the Court of
Appeal against the ‘leniency’ of the sentence. At a subsequent hearing
before the Court of Appeal (1 April 1998), the sentence was increased
to 3 years imprisonment. A consequence of the sentence is that Lim
Guan Eng will be automatically barred as a member of parliament and is
likely to be declared bankrupt.
The sentence is currently pending an appeal. Should the sentence on
Lim Guan Eng be upheld and enforced by a higher court, Amnesty
International will list him as a ‘prisoner of conscience’, for
expressing his political views. If enforced, this will be the second
time Lim Guan Eng has been imprisoned for expressing his political
beliefs. In 1987, in a crackdown on government opponents and
activists, he was imprisoned for 18 months without charge or trial.
The persecution of Lim Guan Eng is seen as not just an attempt by the
government to silence a prominent critic, but also to serve as a
warning to others. His constituents have been denied representation in
parliament.
Freedom of expression and respect for democratic institutions and
human rights does not exist in Malaysia . The Prime Minister justifies
his iron rule as necessary to keep Malaysia on the path of economic
success. The so called Malaysian economic miracle now lies in ruins.
In a histrionic outburst, Mahathir bin Mohamad, desperate to blame
others for his own shortcomings and failings, blamed foreign
speculators and agents of foreign powers. In addition to the Draconian
and repressive Sedition Act and Printing Presses and Publications Act,
Malaysia also uses the Internal Security Act (which grants the power
for indefinite detention without charge or trial) to silence critics.
December 1996, non-government organisations attempted to hold a forum
to discuss abuses of police powers. The organisers of the forum were
threatened with detention under the Internal Security Act, the forum
has been suspended indefinitely.
Amnesty International has adopted Lim Guan Eng as a Prisoner of Conscience.
Even if I fail and have to go to jail, I have no regrets. I have no
regrets of going down fighting for the principles of truth and
justice. And pursuit of human rights, especially women’s rights. There
can be no women’s rights if women rape victims are considered equally
responsible, and even detained, whilst the accused remain free. — Lim
Guan Eng
There are injustices in the law which are mind-boggling … The lesson
is clear - choose your rapist carefully … As a woman, especially a
Muslim woman, I am angry, disgusted and ashamed … As a mother, I now
have real fears for my daughter. What protection can we hope for our
daughters if, in the interests of politics, a minor can so easily be
sacrificed? — Marina Mahathir, daughter of the Malaysian Prime
Minister
HE IS NOW THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG ! ALL I CAN SAY IS SYABAS!
From the Editor : How many of Malaysian Leaders dare to voice up for Justice ???
