Ten Barisan Nasional and opposition parliamentarians today gave a combined thumbs-up for proposals to make anti-rape laws more stringent as suggested by a task force of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The MPs attended a 90-minute dialogue with the Anti-Rape Task Force at a meeting room in the Parliament House and agreed that the "timely and appropriate" campaign should be promoted.

The dialogue was held in line with efforts by the task force to convince lawmakers and politicians to support several key proposals to amend rape-related laws.

The grouping comprises All Women's Action Society (Awam), Women's Centre for Change (WCC), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) and the Protect and Save the Children group.

During the dialogue, former National Unity and Social Development Minister Napsiah Omar (Kuala Pilah-BN) said she would try and submit a Private Member's Bill incorporating the proposals.

Napsiah, who cited difficulties in getting the Domestic Violence Act passed in the Dewan Rakyat in 1994, called on all parliamentarians to back the amendments this time.

According to task force representatives, Attorney-General Abdul Ghani Patail had disagreed with most of their proposals at a meeting in June and suggested that the proposals be redrafted.

Responding, Lim Bee Kau (BN-Padang Serai) said the task force should push ahead with its campaign with a sense of urgency.

"Since this has reached the AG's Chambers, we could temporarily put aside those proposals with which the AG disagrees and take (the amendments forward) step by step," she said.

The sole male parliamentarian present, PAS vice-president and Dungun MP Mustafa Ali, urged the task force to step up efforts to lobby male MPs.

"This is not a man versus woman issue. Women's NGOs must take the correct approach in lobbying for men's support as well," he said.

Broad changes

Speaking to malaysiakini later, Awam legal officer Pushpa Ratnam expressed gratitude to the MPs for being supportive.

Commenting on the suggestion to work on the proposals in stages, she said: "We are open to discussion because we want to see major reforms."

She also said the task force plans to hold another briefing, this time for male parliamentarians.

The task force, which began work on the proposals two years ago, revealed its recommendations at a press conference on Sept 9.

The proposals call for broad changes to the Penal Code, Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code.

These are to make marital rape an offence under the Penal Code, focus on widening the definition of 'rape' to include object penetration, eliminate requirements for additional testimony beyond just the victim's, allow for child evidence without the need for corroboration and to restrict admission of the victim's past sexual history.

The groups also want lawmakers to consider special circumstances where the burden of proving consent be reversed to fall on the accused.

Under the proposals, those who pressure their victims to engage in sexual acts through fear of force and other pressures should not be allowed to claim that they had valid consent.