SANDAKAN: Member of Parliament Vivian Wong Shir Yee has condemned the act of trespassing and peeping on women in public shopping mall toilets as a violation of social norms that damages the victims’ dignity.
She stated that perpetrators could also be charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which provides for more appropriate punishment.
This comes after a man was fined only RM25 by the Kota Kinabalu Magistrate’s Court under Section 8(1)(e) of the Sabah Minor Offence Ordinance for trespassing in a women’s toilet and peeping on a victim.
Vivian emphasised that under the Penal Code, such an offence is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine, or both. She argued that a mere RM25 fine is too lenient and unlikely to deter future offences.
Citing a 2017 case in a Kota Kinabalu mall where the prosecution successfully used Section 509, she urged authorities to apply the Penal Code to prevent repeat offences.
She stressed that the law must be a firm deterrent to protect citizens, especially women, and questioned its effectiveness if such severe invasions of safety and dignity result in minimal punishment.
Vivian called for a review of existing legal provisions and their implementation to ensure punishments truly serve as a warning and preventive measure, guaranteeing public safety.
“The people need a legal system that genuinely protects their safety, not one that exists merely symbolically,” she asserted. – James Leong
