YOURSAY 'Children are angels sent from God - they must be protected. The judges' short-sightedness is tragic.'

Man spared jail for statutory rape of 12-year-old

CHKS: What a flawed argument - can a 12-year-old truly make a consensual, volitional decision without any coercion? Does a 12-year-old has that mental capacity and maturity to make the decision to have sex with a man 10 years older?

If that is the case, I think we can change the age of consent in our Child Act 2001 from 16 years and below to a lower age?

On what basis can the court be sure she was not "tricked"? Furthermore, it was contended that the man dropped out of school after Form 2, and therefore not capable of tricking the girl.

You mean you need a PhD to trick the girl? You mean just because he is a dropout, he is stupid? Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson and Li Ka-Shing are all dropouts. Are they stupid? Who is really stupid here?

Vasudevan: I wonder how the learned judges will decide if it was their children who were affected. It makes no sense - children are angels sent from God, they must be protected. The judges' short-sightedness is tragic.

Kayagomo: Now, ladies and gentlemen, oops correction, boys and girls of 16 and under, here is the new message, "You can have sex with your idols who are very much older and experienced, provided it is consensual and your idol's future is bright."

BujangSenang: Oh Lord, what's happening to our system? What then is statutory rape? Fathers and mothers will now be worried sick.

OrangKedah: Oral sex is wrong, but sex with a minor is all right. Parents beware. Primary school teachers beware. There is going to be open season in your backyards. The ‘crime' minister is drooling while we bleed.

Kgen: Now you don't even have to be a national sportsman to get an exemption for raping minors. Even school dropouts can qualify as long as you claim you have a "bright future". Malaysia Boleh!

Sabahan: In Singapore, those who have sex with underaged prostitutes are punished, irrespective of their public stature. In Malaysia, those who charm underaged girls in order to have sex with them can get away scot-free.

Onyourtoes: Maybe the judges want to show fairness and consistency. But they must not forget, they can be consistently inconsistent. Hope it is not too difficult for them to understand.

Timothy: Is this a nation of men only? Where are the women? Where are the wives and mothers? Where are the women's non-governmental organisations (NGOs)? Why are they so passive?

Do you all not see the long-term negative consequences of this judgment on your daughters, your sisters, your granddaughters?

Ksn: We have a precedent, a recent one, set by the Court of Appeal that rapists of minors can be released on bond instead of being jailed and fined RM25,000 as long as the culprit who is guilty of statutory rape, in the view of the court, has a bright future, right?

By the way, is an electrician a sportsman item like in the bowler's case?

HYL: This is the consequences of having a man to be the women, family and community development minister.

He has no interest or sympathy at all for the safety and welfare of women and children. Hello, minister, where are you? In Mongolia or France?

Home: What is the purpose of having "statutory rape"? How can consensual be applied when one party has committed statutory rape?

Even my five-year-old girl knows how to say "I do" and/or "I'm willing". He is 22 years old, he is an adult, I am sure he understands the consequences of having sex with underage girl.

Judges, have you ever considered what if he is a cheater, he cheats using love and sex?

SdnJF36784: Previously many Indonesians and locals have been jailed for statutory rape. I suggest a judicial review of all their cases and have them freed for they have been unjustly jailed, many of whom could have had a bright future if not for the jail term.

After all, it is only rape of a little girl, no big deal.

RockaBilly: The rapists have bright futures, the victims have bleak futures. The judges, well, they must be blind.

Kgen: Will the attorney-general appeal against this inadequate sentence as a matter of public interest? Or is the AG more concerned with sex between consenting male adults, which is of no public interest?

Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum: Justice must be done and must be seen, by the public, to be done. From the comments here in Malaysiakini , it is very clear that in these two cases, the public do not see justice being done.

Public perception of justice is very important. There is a serious risk now that underaged children will be targeted by predators, who now are reassured that they will not face jail or whipping.

Blind Freddo: Huh... if the sex was consensual then it's not rape. It's paedophilia.

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