IPOH, Malaysia - Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has come to the defence of the police who have been accused of being insincere and insensitive in its investigations into sex crimes against Penan women.

She said claims by various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were untrue and that the police had given their fullest cooperation to the task force commissioned by the Cabinet to look into the matter.

According to news reports, a group of NGOs had rebuked the police for not wanting to conduct joint investigations with them.

The police, it was reported, had claimed it was unable to do so due to a lack of funds.

"It is unfair to blame the police," said Shahrizat.

"They are doing their best in their investigations and have been with us from the start," she said after presenting Hari Raya Aidilfitri goodies to about 200 single mothers at the Ar-Rahman Mosque during the ministry's Nur Hidayah programme yesterday.

"The police have told us that they are monitoring the situation very closely.

"They also wanted to see an immediate stop to the matter and do not want any more rape cases to crop up," she said.

THE STAR / ASIA NEWS NETWORK