SEPANG (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A Malaysian serial rapist who had served a 24-year jail sentence in Canada for sexually assaulting dozens of women in Toronto arrived home on Tuesday morning (Feb 7) after he was deported by Canadian authorities.
Selva Kumar Subbiah, 57, went to Canada as a student in 1980 and his visa was extended after he was sponsored by a spouse.
He was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting dozens of women in the late 1980s and early 1990s while posing as a modelling agent, movie producer and professional dancer.
Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Fadzil Ahmat confirmed that Selva Kumar arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at about 7am on Tuesday.
"I was informed that he has arrived at KLIA. However, I cannot elaborate further," he said when contacted. Media waiting at the airport's arrival hall saw no sign of the man.
Hailing from Penang, Selva Kumar is the third among four siblings. He has two older brothers and a younger sister.
He comes from a family of educationists: his late father was a senior education officer in the Penang Education Department while a late brother was a teacher from a primary school in the state.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said last week that police would closely monitor Selva Kumar upon his arrival in Malaysia. He added that police were looking into the possibility of recruiting community groups to help keep an eye on him.
Malaysian police have also asked their Canadian counterparts for his criminal records.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said on Tuesday that Selva Kumar will be barred from entering the state. Describing him as a "high risk individual," Mr Musa said the state decided to declare him persona non grata as he could pose a danger to the public, especially women and children.
Selva Kumar had unsuccessfully tried to block Canadian newspaper, Toronto Star, from publishing details of his parole hearing in June last year and his photo, arguing that it would be dangerous for him.
He had claimed that he would be a victim of discrimination in Malaysia because he is Jewish.
The newspaper had argued that it was important for the public to know the details of the case and what he looked like now.
Before Selva Kumar's return to his home country, Malaysians had renewed calls for a sex offender registry, amid concerns that the authorities were not taking concrete action quickly enough.
The proposal of a sex offender registry was first mooted in 2007 after the brutal rape and murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, but efforts have since stalled.
The Women's Aid Organisation also urged the police to implement a tracking mechanism that would prevent offenders from repeating criminal activities upon release.
Another group, Tenaganita, warned of the risks in allowing convicted rapists to mingle freely in public after serving time.
