BANGKOK: The names and offences of sex fiends, including paedophiles, will be published in newspapers and posted on the Internet soon in a drastic move to curb cases of children being sexually assaulted, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said. A registry of all types of sex offenders, which will include their photographs, is also being planned, but the Attorney-General will have to study the legal implications first.
Musa said the move to compile the list was to alert the public so that they could take extra precautions. The move comes following the call by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to name and shame sex offenders following the abduction and murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, who was also sexually assaulted.
“We will let the public know what type of crime the convicted person had committed and to be wary of him if he is in their neighbourhood. “We know some may say why punish them again, but in view of the current trend of children going missing and being sexually assaulted we have to take drastic measures,” he said.
“I will discuss with the NGOs, Bar Council and other interested groups on this matter. We need to study and look at the relevant laws,” he said, adding that they were studying whether the names of first-time sexual offenders could also be included.
National sex offender registries can be found in the United States, Britain, New Zealand and Australia.
(The Star - 16/01/07)
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I don't know whether I am for or against it. It's hard to say. I see kids who have suffered sexual abuse from perpetrators who have escaped from any form of persecution. No evidence. No witnesses. No one ever speaks up. Everyone tries to maintain the family honor by doing the most dishonorable duty of keeping quiet. So, whose picture will they publish? Which names will get the special mention? Will such a highlight ensure that no one will ever speak up? Having your husband's name and face published on all newspapers as a paedophile is pretty much a social death sentence for you as well. Not exactly the type of fame people seek?
It's also a death sentence for those who have been released from prison. Who will ever hire such a guy? Who cares if he is to be a toll booth collector or a kindergarten teacher. He'll never get a job. No one wants such a person on their payroll. He may contaminate the rest. If you make him angry, he may hunt your kids down. Serves him right? Maybe?.
Don't get me wrong, such a list is important. But I would rather if such a list be confined to the eyes of the police and the welfare department. At this moment, we have no one to ask if we want to verify the names of those who have applied to work or volunteer their service with us. If they ever create such a list, we do wish it would be as simple as a government website where we can type in the name, I.C. number . . . and when we click enter, either a green light that says - no known crimes or a red warning light that says, start a lynch mob and chase him out of your village.
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