KPWKM, PDRM JOIN FORCES TO ADDRESS RISE IN RAPE, INCEST CASES IN KELANTAN

PUTRAJAYA, April 25 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) will continue close cooperation with the police (PDRM) to obtain accurate data on the sharp increase in rape and incest cases in Kelantan.

Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the collaboration is a key priority before issuing any statement or identifying suitable approaches to tackle the issue.

We are working with PDRM to obtain verified information before making any announcements. Our statements are based on police data and investigation outcomes,” she said after the ministry’s monthly assembly here today.

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She was responding to media reports on April 9 citing Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat, who revealed a concerning yearly increase in such cases.

According to Mohd Yusoff, 252 cases were recorded in 2024 compared to 206 in 2023, a 22.3 per cent rise, with some perpetrators as young as 10 years old.

Earlier, in her speech, Nancy highlighted the progress of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Tribunal (TAGS), which has resolved 27 out of 38 complaints within 60 days.

“This is a major achievement, but public awareness must continue to be strengthened,” she said.

TAGS was established to handle sexual harassment cases occurring on or after March 8, 2024, offering an alternative to civil courts. It provides victims with a faster, more accessible, and cost-effective platform to seek redress.

On KPWKM’s response to the Petronas gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Nancy said over 600 victims received assistance from the Social Welfare Department, National Welfare Foundation, and the National Population and Family Development Board.

“From setting up two temporary relief centres to providing food, emotional support, and psychosocial aid through 20 volunteers and 13 psychologists, this reflects our efficiency in managing crises,” she said.

The April 1 incident saw flames reaching over 30 metres high and temperatures hitting 1,000°C. It took nearly eight hours to extinguish the fire.

-- BERNAMA