She said taking into account the trauma that rape victims experience, she hoped that the health ministry would consider granting permission for the victim to undergo an examination at the hospital without having to lodge a police report first.

“Our recommendation is, since the report and rape kit must be completed within 72 hours, can the victim do a medical examination first and then we leave it to the victim whether she wants to make a police report or not?

“We will leave it to the ministry to decide (on this suggestion),” she said at a press conference in conjunction with “Sepeda Amal Borneo 2023”, a charity programme here.

She said the procedures for handling cases involving suspected rape victims currently state that a police report must be made first before the victim is allowed to undergo further examination.

“When the victim goes to the counter (at the hospital) they will be referred to the police first. The police will then give permission to conduct the medical examination because they require the evidence for the case,” she said.

She was commenting on a media report on July 8 about an individual who was allegedly dissatisfied with the services of the One-Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) in Sarawak when handling the case of a woman who had allegedly been raped.

Following that, Sarawak health director Dr Ooi Choo Huck, in his statement, said that the woman refused to lodge a police report and did not give permission for further evaluation to be carried out despite being advised by the medical officer on duty.

However, after a discussion with an emergency physician on duty, Ooi said the woman was sent to the OSCC, where the medical officer conducted a comprehensive examination, including examining her vital signs.

Nancy said the matter was a miscommunication between the victim and the hospital and it had been resolved. She hoped that such an incident will not recur.

Meanwhile, on the “Sepeda Amal Borneo 2023”, the minister said 20 participants took part in the charity event which involved cycling for 700km across Sarawak in six days.

The programme is being held to raise funds for the ROSE Foundation to eradicate cervical cancer, which is the third most common cancer among Malaysian women.

Also, in conjunction with the event, the ROSE Foundation offers free cervical screening to all women in more than 10 locations across Sarawak. The offer ends on July 23.