KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — The government delayed setting up a national registry to track convicted sex offenders out of concern it may infringe on an individual’s privacy, Datuk Seri Nur Jazlan Mohamed disclosed.

The deputy home minister said the concern had been raised by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), theSun daily reported today.

"There is some concern that the privacy of those named in the list will be compromised,” Nur Jazlan was quoted saying.

Nur Jazlan said the government was also obliged to defend the rights of convicted sexual offenders and protect them from vigilantes.

"All I am saying is in today’s open world with the Internet, everything will be exposed anyway. People can disseminate the information in any way, so you might as well have the sexual offenders’ list.

"But the sexual offenders also must be protected. What if some people take the law into their own hands? That list should also protect the rights of the offenders,” said Nur Jazlan.

The Pulai MP said such registry should be made public, but must come under the purview of the police.

"In most countries, it is done to protect the community. At least the community that he is living in, is aware that he is a sexual offender,” he was quoted saying further, referring to the sex offender.

The newspaper said it could not reach Attorney-General Tan Sri Apandi Ali to comment on the proposed register’s status.

Last month, Nur Jazlan had admitted that Malaysia should set up a sex offenders’ registry now, amid concerns over the deportation of convicted serial rapist Selva Kumar Subbiah this Sunday.

Nur Jazlan was previously reported by The Star Online as saying that the registry, in addition to the implementation of the proposed Child Sexual Crimes Act, would protect children from sex predators.

Selva Kumar was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 1992 after being found guilty of 19 counts of sexual assault, 28 counts of administering a drug or noxious substance, 10 counts of various kinds of assault and a dozen other charges, including extortion.