KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — Wanita MCA today echoed demands here for a sex offenders registry and the enhancement of existing laws to protect minors against sexual predators like British paedophile Richard Huckle.

Wanita MCA chairman Datuk Heng Seai Kie said sex offenders upon their release should have their place of residence published in the official police website, Facebook, as well as in newspapers, online news portals and all the premises of local councils.

“This is necessary to safeguard the safety of all, especially minor children who live in the country,” Heng said in a statement titled, ‘Legislative changes needed to enhance victim protection from paedo-beasts’.

Heng also suggested that federal legislation be enhanced to among others, allow charging Malaysian citizens committing paedophilia crimes abroad, and mandatory incarceration for the possession of, surfing, and downloading child pornography materials from websites.

She said Wanita MCA is also pushing to redefine rape in the law to include the “Insertion of any object into any orifice of the human anatomy as long as there is coerced intrusion”, and for the term “rape” to be gender neutral.

Currently, rape is defined in the law as “penile penetration into the vagina against one’s will”.

Heng also said Wanita MCA is horrified that Huckle, who was sentenced yesterday for his sex crimes against Malaysian children, will be eligible for parole after 23 years.

“While Wanita MCA respects the jurisdictions of the British court to convict prolific, depraved paedophile Richard Huckle to 22 concurrent life sentences, we are horrified that the sex fiend will be eligible to appear before a parole board after 23 years, when he will be 53 years of age — possibly still spry and active, and capable of repeating similar offences once freed,” she said.

Huckle was yesterday sentenced to life in prison by a London court for abusing 23 Malaysian and Cambodian babies and children over almost a decade.

Reuters reported that Huckle, 30, was given 22 life sentences and would serve at least 23 years behind bars for his crimes against impoverished victims aged six months to 11 years.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri earlier today said the federal government and the Attorney-General are in the midst of looking into more amendments to legislation here governing child rights.