Incest, sexually transmitted diseases on the rise in Sarawak

Sarawak Legislative Assembly Sitting, November 2017

KUCHING, Nov 15: The rise of incest case in Sarawak is alarming with 18 cases recorded as of October this year, said Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.

She said the State Social Development Council together with the police and Welfare Development Department is in the process of profiling data on the victims and perpetrators to study the causes, before organising a workshop in 2018 to address the issue.

There were 14 cases recorded in 2014, 21 cases in 2015 and 13 cases in 2016.

Also on the rise is HIV/AIDS cases, with 305 reported cases as of October this year, compared to 275 cases in 2016 and 255 cases in 2015.

Incidences of other sexually transmitted diseases are also on the rise.

ā€œWe will continue to organise awareness and education programmes and to have strategic planning with other public agencies and Sarawak AIDS Concern Society,ā€ Fatimah said in her winding-up speech at State Legislative Assembly today. ā€” Dayak Daily