Malaysian Employers Can Now Identify Child Sex Offenders With This New System
However, the registry has not been made public.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 06 Feb 2017, 12:29 PM
After almost a decade worth of discussions and brickbats on setting up a Malaysian child sex offender registry, the much needed system is finally up and running
Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported yesterday, 5 February, that the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry has established the Child Registry.
The Child Registry will contain all the known names and details of child sex offenders. The registry falls under the Child Act (Amendment) 2016.
However, the database is only available upon request made to the director-general of the social welfare department
Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim
Image via Choo Choy May/ The Malay Mail OnlineCountries like America have actually made their child sex offender registry public, allowing its people to have free access over the information. In Malaysia, however, there has been cause for concern on how if the registry is made public, it could ruin the offenders' future.
Lawyer and activist Syahredzan Johan, said in 2012, that there is a "potential to destroy the offender's future and violation of personal liberty is so great" if the records were to be made public. Meanwhile, chairman of Voice of Children has mentioned previously that the registry should not be used to "name and shame" the offenders.
So, who can request to access the child sex offender registry in Malaysia?
It was reported that employers hiring employees working with children or in environments that are frequented by young children such as canteen workers, maid, school bus drivers, and security guards can send requests to run a background check on their potential employees with the child sex offender registry.
"For example, those who operate daycare centres can check to determine if any prospective employee is listed in the registry," said Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim during a media briefing on proposed amendments to the Child Act 2001 at Institut Social Nasional in Kuala Lumpur on 18 January.
She also mentioned that those seeking to run a background check on potential hires can either call or write in to the ministry to access the database.
"This is more of a preventive measure to ensure children are not exposed to sex offenders and to reduce the chances of a sex offender re-offending."
In a statement released yesterday, the ministry also stressed that the Child Registry is not the same as the Registration of Criminals and Undesirable Persons Act 1969 which is under the Home Ministry.
Note that the request to access the child sex offender registry will be assessed accordingly by the ministry first before releasing the confidential data.
Do you think the Malaysian child sex offender registry should be made public? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!