Rape Law Proposal Was Personal Opinion, No Apology Needed: Kelantan Police Chief

KOTA BHARU, Sept 29 (VoM):Kelantan police chief Commissioner Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat has clarified that his recent proposal to review existing rape laws was solely his personal opinion and not reflective of any official stance.

Responding to calls for him to retract his remarks, Comm Yusoff said there was no reason to apologize.
“Why should I apologize or withdraw the statement when it was merely my personal opinion? It is up to the government to decide whether or not to consider it. Even if it is not accepted, it should not be an issue, as the Home Minister has already confirmed that it was my personal view,” he told reporters.

He was speaking after attending the Kelantan investiture ceremony in conjunction with Sultan Muhammad V’s 56th birthday celebration at Istana Balai Besar on Monday.

Comm Yusoff explained that his suggestion stemmed from police investigations in Kelantan, which revealed that many statutory rape cases involved consensual sexual acts between minors. He said this raised questions of fairness when only one party ended up being prosecuted.

He stressed, however, that if his proposal caused confusion or appeared insensitive, he was willing to withdraw it, adding that he regretted if his earlier statement had upset any party.

On September 23, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that Comm Yusoff’s remarks were strictly personal opinions and did not represent the government’s position on handling underage sexual offenses.