Statement by 100 women, children, health and other civil society groups and individuals – objecting to Shahidan Kassim’s appointment to committee on women and children’s affairs

We – the undersigned – strongly object to the appointment of Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee for Women and Children Affairs and Social Development. We note that Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim has since requested to be replaced.

In 2018, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim was charged with molesting a 15 year old girl – under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. The charges were later dropped in 2019 after the complaint was withdrawn – but Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim was not acquitted.

This casts serious doubt on Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim credibility to serve on to this committee, which has the responsibility of scrutinising laws on gender based violence and child abuse.

Moreover, the Arau MP had previously objected to the formation of the parliamentary select committee on women and children.

In a time when women’s and children’s rights have been significantly set back by the pandemic, it is even more important that we appoint credible MPs, with relevant expertise and commitment to child rights and gender equality to the committee.

We call on:

1. Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional to immediately rescind Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim’s appointment, and apologise for this oversight. We call on BN chairperson Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PN chairperson Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to address this.
2. Opposition Leader Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim; Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Rina Harun; and Chair of the Select Committee for Women and Children Affairs and Social Development, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman – to object to Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim’s appointment.
3. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Harun to reflect on the lapses of the appointment process, and enact reforms to safeguard the integrity of the parliamentary select committees.

Malaysia has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Child Rights Convention (CRC). We have government agencies and frontliners dedicated to combat child abuse – including the Welfare Department, Royal Malaysia Police, and One Stop Crisis Centres in public hospitals. 

The appointment of Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to this select committee goes against these commitments and principles.

Endorsed by / Disokong oleh (100 organisations and individuals)

Women’s & Gender Equality Groups 

1. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
2. All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
3. Association of Women Lawyers (AWL)
4. EMPOWER Malaysia
5. Family Frontiers
6. Inner Wheel Club of KL
7. KRYSS Network
8. MiWEPs – Malaysian Organisation for Development of Indian Women in Career, Entrepreneur and Professionals
9. Perak Women for Women Society (PWW)
10. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
11. Pertubuhan Teratak Rahmah Wanita Islam (TERATAI)
12. Sabah Women’s Action-Resource Group (SAWO)
13. SERAMAS
14. SERATA
15. Sisters in Islam
16. Tenaganita
17. The 111 Initiative
18. The KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Women Division
19. Women’s Centre for Change (WCC)

Children’s Groups 

1. ANAK
2. Asia Community Service
3. Bold Association for Children with Special Needs Penang
4. Childline Foundation
5. ECCE Council
6. End CSEC Malaysia
7. Global Shepherds
8. Malaysian Child Resource Centre
9. Majlis Kebajikan Kanak-kanak Malaysia (MKKM)
10. Methodist Care Centre (Sibu)
11. National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC)
12. New Horizons Society Early Intervention Centre
13. Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang
14. Persatuan CHILD Sabah
15. Persatuan Pendidikan D’wira Kuching
16. Persatuan Pengasuh Berdaftar Malaysia
17. Pertubuhan Pendidikan Anak Cahaya Sabah (Cahaya Society)
18. Pertubuhan Perkhidmatan Intervensi Awal
19. Persatuan Tadika Malaysia
20. Persatuan Tadika Islam
21. PS the Children
22. SPICES Early Intervention Centre
23. SPOT Community Project
24. Toy Libraries Malaysia
25. Vanguards4Change
26. Voice of the Children
27. Yayasan Chow Kit

Health Groups 

1. Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia (FRHAM)
2. Health Equity Initiatives
3. Malaysian Medical Association Public Health Society
4. Persatuan WeCareJourney
5. PT Foundation
6. Reproductive Health Association of Kelantan (ReHAK)
7. Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia (RRAAM)

Other Groups 

1. Agora Society Malaysia
2. Aliran
3. Amnesty International Malaysia
4. BERSIH 2.0
5. Beyond Borders Malaysia
6. Buku Jalanan Chow Kit
7. CBR Network Malaysia
8. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
9. GoJob MY
10. Justice for Sisters
11. Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW)
12. Make it Right Movement (MIRM)
13. Opis International
14. Our Journey
15. Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)
16. Persatuan Kakitangan Akademik Universiti Malaya (PKAUM)
17. Persatuan Kebajikan Biji Sawi (Mustard Seed Soup Kitchen)
18. Persatuan Promosi Hak Asasi Manusia (Proham)
19. Pusat KOMAS
20. Sabah Human Rights Centre
21. Sabah Reform Initiative (SARI)
22. Sahabat Alam Malaysia
23. Sustainable Development Network Malaysia
24. Third World Network

Individuals

1. Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
2. Azira Aziz
3. Azimy Wan Ahmad
4. Datuk Dr Chiam Heng Keng
5. Dr Chin Saw Sian
6. Goh Siu Lin
7. Hasan Al-Akraa
8. Ivy N Josiah
9. Jac sm Kee
10. Jennifer Liew
11. Dr Lai Suat Yan
12. Dr Maria Rufina
13. Dr Nawar Mani
14. Priscilla Shim
15. Prudence Lingham
16. Raymund Jagan
17. Dr Ruhana Padzil
18. Dr Rusaslina Idrus
19. Dr Shanthi Thambiah
20. Dr Siti Noraida Habibullah
21. Sivasangaran Kumaran
22. Wan Nordiyawati Wan Omar
23. Zarina Ismail Tom

For more information: renchung@wao.org.my, 016 718 3247