Finally, after decades of public demand, a child sex offenders list will be set up by the end of this year, according to Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim. To make this possible, a bill to amend the Child Act of 2001 will be tabled this March.

Rohani claimed that the availability of the list would result in increased protection of children. There have been numerous setbacks on the long road to getting this list. Even the brutal rape and murder of 8-year-old Nur Jazlin Jazimin in 2007 wasn’t enough to motivate our MPs to act.

There were renewed calls for the list in May 2015, when a MARA scholar in Britain was found guilty of producing and possessing thousands of images depicting sex with minors. He was sentenced to five years’ jail, but MARA officials and the then Rural and Regional Development Minister, Shafie Apdal, provoked another round of public outrage when they said they would appeal the sentence.

The IGP, Khalid Abu Bakar, was adamant that a sex offenders list was unnecessary, according to a Malay Mail report. “We already have a criminal registry,” he was quoted as saying. “It serves the same purpose as a sex offenders registry. To me, the existing criminal record registry is already enough. If we set up another registry for those involved in sexual crimes, it would overlap.”

His views were opposed by Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, who said a child sex offenders list would enable the police to monitor the perpetrators easily. Anifah also said his ministry would not intervene to reduce the MARA scholar’s sentence. He criticised those wanting to help the student despite his “serious and inhumane crime”.

According to Rohani, the list would have the names, identity card numbers and photographs of the offenders and would give particulars of their offences.

She also said the list would be made freely available to the public. Many parents would surely welcome this. They’ll be able to see if paedophiles live in their neighbourhoods or whether they are teachers or scout masters to their children.

However, a few have voiced concerns.

First, shouldn’t the list be made available only to those who have a genuine need to know, like employees of child care centres or schools or sport centres attended by children?

Second, publicising the list may invite abuse. What if people start vigilante groups and commit revenge attacks on the people on the list?

Third, having a list is not sufficient. Will there also be a programme to rehabilitate and monitor the movements of the people on the list?

Fourth, if the rehabilitation is successful, and an offender no longer poses a risk to children and the public, will he or she be removed from the list? Will there also be a programme of periodic re-assessment?

Fifth, what about men who rape minors and then marry them under syariah law? Will they be considered child sex offenders or husbands? What are the views of the religious authorities about this?

Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.

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