Appeal For Sensitive Media Coverage Of Oku

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We are disturbed by the media’s focus on the disabled status of the 19-year-old man arrested on Feb 21 in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a young girl at a mosque in Selangor.
Some media outlets approached the Social Welfare Department and the department’s Selangor branch and confirmed that the man has had a “learning disability since childhood”.
This information has little bearing on the case and the alleged action, but media attention has put a spotlight on and made the man’s disabled status the focus of public attention.
The media has chosen to invoke the disabled label to sensationalise the alleged crime. As Norman Goh, producer of the “Bicara Minggu Ini” podcast has aptly observed:
“A careless headline can destroy years of advocacy, shatter trust, and fuel discrimination.”
This example of irresponsible media reporting and biased journalism will worsen bias and prejudice in the minds of the public that persons with disabilities (OKU) are not to be trusted and are sexual perpetrators. It will worsen discrimination against the disabled and those closely associated with disabled persons and would hinder efforts for the inclusion of the disabled community in Malaysian society.
In reality, available local data show that the vast majority of sexual abusers are neurotypical individuals - persons without a disability. However, the media have never reported or focussed on the non-disability status of those perpetrators.
There are many similar incidents of poor and negative media reporting on the OKU community, especially those with autism, psychosocial disabilities (mental health problems), and learning disabilities.
The Feb 21 incident was reported to have gone viral on social media before the suspect was arrested. The lack of SOPs and legislation to protect disabled persons from breach of confidentiality by those who have access to their OKU card information and irresponsible behaviour in the public domain that could prejudice outcomes for the concerned OKU make attempts to redress this difficult.
We appeal to the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF) to take action to train our media outlets on disability-, child-, gender- age-sensitive and nonbiased reporting.
We also appeal to Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri and the Disabled Persons Development Department (JPOKU) to introduce SOPs that protect OKU from breach of confidentiality of the personal information held by the JPOKU of OKU cardholders by JKM personnel at all levels to anyone except when permitted by the law.
We are unaware of any provision of law that allows such personal information (e.g. an individual’s disabled status) to be disclosed to the media without the explicit written consent of the concerned individual.
Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Nancy ShukriThis negative and discriminatory media reporting strengthens our call for the urgent amendment of Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution to expressly prohibit discrimination on the grounds of disability and the comprehensive amendment of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2008 to align it with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
To the good people of Malaysia, we ask that you do not join in making this type of negative reporting viral. Recognise that all of us – disabled or not – have the same rights and entitlements to justice.
Releasing CCTV recordings on social media while police investigations are ongoing is a no-no. We need to work harder in Malaysia to mature as a society and to become a fully inclusive “developed” nation.
To all media practitioners, we appeal that you please use your words wisely in the spirit of Steven Aitchison:
“Your words have the power to hurt, to heal, open minds, open hearts, and change the world. Never forget the responsibility you have over the words you speak.”
Thank you.
Signatories:
1. Dr Amar-Singh HSS, consultant paediatrician; child-disability Activist; member, The OKU Rights Matter Project; advisor, National Early Childhood Intervention Council.
2. Yuenwah San, disability justice and dementia care advocate; member, The OKU Rights Matter Project.
3. Anit Kaur Randhawa, parent advocate; member, The OKU Rights Matter Project; co-chair of Bar Council ad hoc committee on PwDs; and podcaster, Kita Family Podcast.
4. Ng Lai-Thin, disability-inclusion advocate; member, The OKU Rights Matter Project.
5. Wan Puspa Melati, associate professor (Sociology), Taylor’s University; vice president II, Malaysian Sign Language and Deaf Studies National Organization (MyBIM).
6. Shyielathy Arumugam, advisor, National Early Childhood Intervention Council; parent advocate.
7. Annie Ong Hwei Ling, deaf advocate, president, National Organization of Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia Instructors (NowBIM).
8. Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (MFD).
9. Malaysian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (MyAsli).
10. Ch’ng B’ao Zhong, autistic, licensed and registered counsellor.
11. Anthony Chong, deaf individual; advocate; researcher (deaf mental health), Monash University Malaysia.
12. Pertubuhan Advokasi dan Kesejahteraan Pekak Malaysia (Dawn).
13. Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia dan Pengajian Pekak (MyBIM).
14. Jessica Mak, deaf advocate; president, Malaysian Sign Language and Deaf Studies National Organisation (MyBIM); vice president; Deaf Advocacy & Wellbeing National Organisation, Malaysia (Dawn).
15. Allida Muhammad Said, rare disease advocate; Malaysian Rare Disorders Society (MRDS), vice president.
16. Srividhya Ganapathy, co-chairperson Crib Foundation.
17. Vicky Chan, deafblind advocate.
18. Jupebim (Interpreters and Translators Association for Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Deaf Community).
19. Dr Choy Sook Kuen, founder Oasis Place, podcaster, Kita Family.
20. Desiree Kaur, founder, Project Haans, podcaster, Kita Family.
21. Nori Abdullah Badawi, owner, We Rock the Spectrum Gym for All Kids, chairperson, Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia, podcaster, Kita Family.
22. Nik Nadia Nik Mohd Yusoff, moderator of FB Group Autisme Malaysia, podcaster of Kita Family.
23. Pertubuhan Diversiti Pekak Malaysia (Madeo).
24. Meera Samanther, disability-gender activist, parent advocate, and committee member, Association of Women Lawyers (AWL); co-chair of Bar Council Ad hoc Committee on PwDs.
25. Haymasuthan Periasamy, founder, Deaf Advocacy & Wellbeing National Organisation, Malaysia (Dawn).
26. Lee Siow Hua, Persatuan Media and Teknologi Pekak Kuala Lumpur & Selangor.
- Mkini
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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