SIBU: The local DAP women’s chief Alice Lau yesterday said the reported gang-rape of a 28-year-old cleaner on Sunday morning had put doubt on the security situation here.
It was reported that the cleaner was raped in an abandoned school bus at Pahlawan Road here between 2am and 4am.
Calling on the police to hunt down the perpetrators, Lau said a prompt netting of the culprits would allay fears that this town was no longer safe.
She said that statistics from the police in Bukit Aman showed that 10 women in the country were raped each day.
“And there are many rape cases unreported because the perpetrators are relatives or someone known to the victims.
“We’ve seen so many serious cases in the last six months,” she lamented, and urged the police to beef up patrol, particularly in the outskirts between 3am and 5am.
She said that some 200 Rela personnel were recently enlisted to assist the police in patrol duty.
“I suggest that they be deployed to the residential areas and the town’s outskirts.
On the alleged rape case on Sunday, Lau said the abandoned bus had given an opportunity for the perpetrators to commit the crime.
“The Sibu Municipal Council should explain why the bus was left there for such a long time,” she said.