KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — The shocking allegation that a Perak state executive councillor (exco) had raped his Indonesian domestic worker epitomised concerns about power abuse involving politicians and their inner circle.

The Tronoh assemblyman, Paul Yong from DAP, later denied the allegation and maintained his innocence before pledging cooperation with the investigation.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu has since said the decision on his position as exco will be determined once the investigation is completed.

Such allegations are not unprecedented. In the past two years alone, several accusations against politically-affiliated persons over sexual abuse and harassment have surfaced, although not all of them were in the end found guilty.

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Malay Mail lists down five of them:

L. Prem Anand is pictured with his lawyer at the George Town Magistrate’s Court November 29, 2018. ― Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
L. Prem Anand is pictured with his lawyer at the George Town Magistrate’s Court November 29, 2018. ― Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

1. Penang assemblyman’s aide accused of molesting student (charged, case ongoing)

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In July 2017, L. Prem Anand — a former aide to a Penang assemblyman from DAP — pleaded not guilty to the charge of using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a college student.

The former Penang city councillor was accused of committing the offence at about 11.30pm earlier in July that year against a 21-year-old woman at a carpark of an entertainment outlet on Beach Street in George Town.

The court was told during the trial that he had groped the student’s genitals and asked her to stimulate his genitals using either her hand or orally. When she refused, he masturbated and ejaculated on her.

Following his arrest, Paya Terubong assemblyman Yeoh Soon Him clarified that Prem Anand already quit as his aide a month prior.

His trial is still ongoing, after he was ordered to enter his defence in November 2018.

A screengrab showing the deputy minister’s former aide filming up the skirt of a woman at an optical shop. — Picture courtesy of Facebook/Iqbal Ikhwandy
A screengrab showing the deputy minister’s former aide filming up the skirt of a woman at an optical shop. — Picture courtesy of Facebook/Iqbal Ikhwandy

2. Deputy minister’s aide caught taking upskirt shot (investigated, status unknown)

An aide of Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman was investigated after he was caught recording under the skirt of a woman at an optical shop Sri Hartamas, which was captured in a CCTV recording in September last year.

The 1:46-minute clip showed the unnamed aide dressed in a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt scooting one seat over to the woman dressed in a black dress while she was performing a check-up on Mohd Azis, dressed in a long-sleeved grey shirt.

During the check-up, the aide could be seen holding his smartphone with his left hand, at times dipping it below her dress.

The Parti Warisan Sabah’s Sepanggar MP swiftly sacked his aide after the news got out, claiming the man would tarnish his image and credibility as a deputy minister. He also apologised for the incident.

In September last year, the police said the investigation was nearly wrapped but no updates were made known after that.

Sabah police chief Datuk Omar Mammah revealed the aide was never named in the reports the women lodged. — Bernama pic
Sabah police chief Datuk Omar Mammah revealed the aide was never named in the reports the women lodged. — Bernama pic

3. Sabah official’s aide accused of raping two women (investigated, cleared by police)

The political secretary to a senior Sabah state official was accused in October last year by two Indonesian women of raping and sexually abusing them.

A Sabah-based news blog had published an article and video showing two women alleging they were picked up by the aide and his friend, before they were held hostage for a week in Nabawan where they were physically and sexually abused, and threatened with a gun and samurai sword.

The aide then lodged a police report denying ever knowing the women, and claimed that the article was an attempt to sully his political career, job and name.

The person had then been a candidate for a senior post in the PKR Youth wing but was ultimately unsuccessful.

Sabah police chief Datuk Omar Mammah later revealed the aide was never named in the reports the women lodged. An unidentified 31-year-old suspect was later arrested by the police, but it was uncertain what happened to the investigation.

Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (left) arrives at the Jalan Duta court in Kuala Lumpur November 15, 2018. — Picture by Azneal Ishak
Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (left) arrives at the Jalan Duta court in Kuala Lumpur November 15, 2018. — Picture by Azneal Ishak

4. Perlis MP accused of sexually harassing minor (discharged but not acquitted)

Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim was investigated in October last year following a complaint accusing him of sexually harassing a 15-year-old girl in Perlis.

The victim from Arau had written in her police report that she was told by her teacher that the former minister had wanted to see her after he saw her perform with a band at Stadium Tuanku Syed Putra.

The unnamed girl claimed that the talk with the former minister took place in his car and that he had offered to pay her RM4,000 to perform in Kuala Lumpur, while holding her hand and caressing her shoulder. She later fled.

But Shahidan claimed he had asked to meet the girl and her entire family in his car after watching the street performance as he wanted to give them some money.

The police report was later retracted by the family, with Shahidan denying he paid them off. But the police said investigation would still continue, regardless.

This comes after the father of the girl claimed that the case was “amicably settled”, and it was “blown out of proportion”.

Shahidan was finally charged with physical sexual assault on a child in November 2018 after previously failing to turn up in court, leading even to an arrest warrant.

The hearing was again postponed after Shahidan was reportedly admitted to a hospital.

In April this year, Shahidan was given a discharge not amounting to acquittal after his accuser dropped her complaint. The judge made the decision behind closed doors after hearing three witnesses, including the alleged victim.

Kesavan was accused by a woman of alleged sexual harassment in May this year. — Picture by Farhan Najib
Kesavan was accused by a woman of alleged sexual harassment in May this year. — Picture by Farhan Najib

5. Perak MP accused of sexual harassment (investigated, status unknown)

PKR’s Sungai Siput MP S. Kesavan was accused by a woman of alleged sexual harassment by showing her pornographic images and illustrations from the Kama Sutra erotic book in May this year.

Kesavan, in turn, claimed that the woman — whom he described as a lawyer, married with two children and living in Puchong, Selangor — was harassing him and his family and interfering with his parliamentary duties by making false and malicious allegations.

Police then revealed that the woman was of Indian ethnicity and said to be a former research officer and an ex-treasurer of the Sungai Siput PKR branch, and had complained of being molested by a man said to be an MP several times since December 2018.

After the case blew up, PKR said it would not hesitate to take disciplinary action against Kesavan if the allegations turned out to be true.

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality had urged PKR to instead to conduct an internal investigation by itself, and review the party’s policy regarding the issue.

No update has been revealed of the investigation, and no action has been taken by PKR since.