Apology statement requested by victim, according to reports
A male employer has been ordered to apologise to a female employee under a landmark award issued by Malaysia's Tribunal for Anti-Sexual Harassment (TAGS).
This is the first case involving physical sexual harassment handled by TAGS, which was established in 2022 to provide an alternative channel to civil courts on handling sexual harassment complaints, Bernama reported.
No further details on the case were revealed in the report, which cited the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM), except that it was heard on May 23.
According to the KPWKM, TAGS sided with the female employee after she was able to prove that the male employer sexually harassed her.
"Therefore, TAGS ordered the respondent to issue an apology statement as requested by the complainant," the KPWKM said as quoted by Bernama.
The ministry then encouraged sexual harassment victims to file complaints at the TAGS counter at KPWKM or reach out to the Talian Kasih 15999 for any enquiries.
The tribunal was established under Malaysia's Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, which was passed to address sexual harassment incidents in the country. It defined sexual harassment as "any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, in any form, whether verbal, non-verbal, visual, gestural or physical, directed at a person which is reasonably offensive or humiliating or is a threat to his well-being."
