The Malay Mail, 11 April 2007

NGOs stress on gender education
IS segregation the answer to sexual harassment problems?
by DAWN CHAN

Three non-governmental organisations contacted by The Malay Mail yesterday agreed it’s not.

The NGOs were asked to comment on Sri Gading MP Datuk Mohamad Aziz’s suggestion to have separate coaches for male and female LRT passengers to prevent ‘awkward situations’.

Women’s Development Collective executive director Maria Chin Abdullah said sexual harassment will not stop with segregation.

“Sexual harassment can take place anywhere. Segregation should be the last resort,” said Chin.

“At the end of the day, it comes back to education on gender sensitivity.

“The transport provider should go beyond providing public transport services. They should emphasise on security for all passengers.”

All Women’s Action Society president Judith Loh-Koh called for a more effective and lasting solution.

“Putting men and women in separate coaches will not eliminate sexual assault on a woman’s integrity in any way, be it verbal, non-verbal, visual, psychological or physical,” she said.

A fairer option, she said, is to provide the avenues for victims to make complaints with RapidKL personnel trained to handle them sensitively.

Loh-Koh said there is also the need for an efficient public transport system to spread out the congestion.

“There should be more trains and buses that run according to schedule,” she said.

“Another suggestion is to introduce flexible working hours to spread out road congestion and reduce its duration.

“Sexual harassment should not occur under any circumstance.”

Loh-Koh hopes the Government and RapidKL will seek alternative steps to combat the problem.

“In the long run, the society needs to be educated,” she said.

“Sexual harassment is not acceptable on any grounds, and it is symptomatic of a society based on unequal gender relations.”

Sisters In Islam programme manager Norhayati Kaprawi said segregation will just create more problems.

“It is perplexing how segregation can solve the problem. If sexual harassment is an issue, we urge policymakers to ensure that awareness on gender and sexual harassment issues be carried out in schools,” she said.

“The Government needs to be serious in pushing for gender sensitivity not only to our young, but also among the decision- makers.”