Deputy menteri besar Fadzli Hassan said it is unfair for only the male party to face legal consequences in cases where both individuals willingly engage in sexual activity.

“The proposal shows that the Kelantan police chief is taking the issue seriously, and we share that concern. In cases of underage consensual sex, the girl should also bear responsibility.

“If the girl is let off without any warning or consequence, it gives the impression that there’s no accountability on her part, despite her consent to the act.

“Such leniency could lead to the issue recurring,” Bernama reported him as saying after a state executive council meeting at Kompleks Kota Darulnaim in Kota Bharu today.

Fadzli also suggested that the federal government establish a special committee to study the proposal and determine appropriate measures for both parties involved.

“The punishment doesn’t necessarily have to be criminal in nature, but it should serve as a lesson and form of education for both parties,” he said.

Yusoff stirred public debate last Sunday after suggesting that legal action be considered against both individuals involved in consensual statutory rape cases, rather than only the male partner.

He said the issue will be further discussed with stakeholders, including the Kelantan Islamic religious affairs department and the education department, to find more effective preventive measures.

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail later clarified that the statement was a personal view, driven by concern over the rising number of sexual offences in Kelantan.