October 07, 2008 22:41 PM

Task Force To Probe Allegations Of Sexual Abuse Of Penan Women

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has set up a temporary task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse against Penan women and girls in Sarawak.

Its minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the ministry would be working closely with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the Women's Centre for Change (WCC) and Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), and the Sarawak government and police to address the issue.

"When we investigate, our task force will be talking directly with the tribal heads to get more information and to let them know that the federal government is a responsible government.

"We in the ministry will make every effort to protect the Penan women and girls," she told a press conference here Tuesday.

Dr Ng said the task force would hold its first meeting tomorrow and she might go to Sarawak at the end of this month to look into the matter.

Three weeks ago, a media release by non-governmental organisation Bruno Manser Foundation (BMF) brought to light a long-held concern over sexual abuse of Penan women by timber camp workers in the Baram district.

The Switzerland-based organisation charged that workers from two timber companies were preying on Penan women in the various settlements within the companies operational areas, and targeting female students who relied on the companies transportation service to get to school.

The report also claimed that there had been several incidents of pregnancy among the Penan women and girls due to the abuses, while the logging workers were also behaving like thugs and carrying arms to intimidate the community.

"We have to find out why this is happening. If they say they have no transport, we have to look into their transport needs," Dr Ng said.

She said the ministry had also received a faxed statement from Sarawak's Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu on Oct 3, condemning any form of violence, including sexual abuse of women and children.

"Jabu wants the police to investigate the reports of alleged sexual abuse and if found to be true the suspects must be dealt with severely," she said.

Dr Ng also said that logging companies must be responsible for the behaviour of their workers.

"We need to take this matter very seriously and make it an example to all others because we cannot allow any means of exploitation of the minorities," she said.

-- BERNAMA

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