WANITA MCA has expressed concern over the sentencing of a widower to just five years in prison and one stroke of the cane for the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Batu Pahat, Johor.
Its national chairperson Datuk Wong You Fong lamented that Goh Sek Loong, 46, was charged under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and caning upon conviction, but yet he had only received a paltry number of years.
“This punishment is woefully inadequate given the severity of his crimes, which involved grooming a minor, manipulation, and subjecting her to a traumatic sexual assault,” she stressed.
“Many in our community are rightfully demanding a harsher sentence, as this case sets a dangerous precedent for how crimes against children are addressed in our justice system.
“A five-year term fails to reflect the gravity of grooming, abduction, and the lifelong trauma inflicted on the victim.”
Based on the facts of the case, the victim’s father received a call from the police informing him that his daughter, who had been missing since July 23, was found four days later.
A police report was filed because the victim’s father suspected that his daughter had been raped by the accused.
The investigation found that the teenager got into the accused’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) after being dropped off by her grandfather at a school in Kuala Lumpur.
The accused then took the victim to a homestay in Batu Pahat.
Charges must be reconsidered
Wong went on to draw comparison to other jurisdictions that had imposed far stricter penalties for similar offences such as the 46-year-old man in Kelantan who was sentenced to 72 years in prison and 60 strokes of the cane for raping his underaged daughter last year.
She further noted that this disparity highlighted the urgent need for sentencing reform to ensure that child predators face proportionate consequences.
“We strongly urge the authorities to reconsider the charges against Goh, including adding counts of child grooming (punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment), meeting after grooming (up to ten years’ imprisonment) and sexual communication with a minor (up to three years) given his deliberate exploitation of the victim over three months via online,” she stated.
“All these sentences should be served consecutively—not concurrently—to ensure the full measure of justice is delivered.”
According to Wong, this case is not just about punishment but also about justice for the victim and a clear message that our society should not tolerate the exploitation of minors.
“The law must recognise the predatory behaviour that precedes such crimes, not just the act itself,” she emphasised.
“The current sentence undermines trust in the legal system and fails to deter future offenders. We join others in calling for a review to ensure the punishment truly fits the crime.” ‒ Aug 7, 2025
