Amirul Arif bin Mohd Yunos who was a child psychiatrist in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) centre in Dublin, Ireland, has shamed Malaysia for sexually abusing and grooming his teenage patient.

He then tried to buy his victim’s silence by offering around 2,000 euros (RM9,000) to the victim and her family.

His victim’s mother told The Irish Independent newspaper of her anger and revulsion towards him and his family.

Despite being part of an influential family, she was disgusted that his family and friends had written testimonials of good character for him.

She said, “It’s scary to think of how much tolerance these people have towards such sadistic crimes against a child.”

There is a sizeable Malaysian diaspora in Ireland and Malaysians back home are shocked and disgusted that some members of the Malaysian community were supportive of Amirul.

Do his friends, family and acquaintances, both in Malaysia and Ireland, take the issue of sexual child abuse very lightly?

His wife, sister, father and father-in-law, wrote testimonials purportedly claiming that he was of good character.

Amirul’s sister is also based in Ireland where she works as a medical professional.

According to Malaysiakini, Amirul is the brother of social media influencer and intensive care doctor Halina Mohd Yunos, who is the wife of Malaysian astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszhaphar Shukor.

Amirul’s crime is made worse because he had abused his position of trust as a doctor.

Instead of fulfilling the Hippocratic oath and care for the sick and alleviate their pain, he took advantage of his patient.

Worse still was that despite his victim’s parents knowing him, he also abused their trust and confidence by sexually abusing and raping their daughter behind their backs.

CAMHS is a facility which treats children who are very vulnerable and at risk.

The 38-year-old shrink was practising at CAMHS, but it was only after his victim’s parents asked him to recommend a doctor to treat their 14-year-old daughter’s mild anxiety disorder that she became his patient.

The grooming started soon after this initial introduction. Inappropriate touching soon escalated to oral sex and penetration.

The offences occurred at various locations, including a car, his home, her home and at his workplace.

The paedophile Amirul used to blindfold her as well as suffocate and choke her.

These abuses were termed “biology lessons” and he also sent violent hard-core pornography to “study” in preparation for their next meeting.

He spoilt the impressionable young teenager with expensive gifts and took her out for meals, but was forced to stop after his victim’s parents intervened.

Her parents had only agreed one approved therapy session with both parents present, but he later secretly met her without their consent.

He encouraged his victim to lie to her parents by telling them she was attending an after-school club.

Such was his deceit that he would send her text messages detailing which route she should take to their meeting point, so that she would not be seen.

The incidents occurred between May and June 2023, and the final incident was in September 2023. The victim was raped at 15.

The sexual abuse was only exposed after the victim’s friend took her to hospital for another matter, where the hospital staff said she feared that she had become pregnant.

On 3 December, Amirul pleaded guilty to six counts of engaging in a sexual act with a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one of meeting a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The judge sentenced Amirul to eight years and six months in jail, but this was backdated to when he went into custody. Thus, he would only be imprisoned for five years, before his deportation to Malaysia.

The Irish Independent reported that the victim has been left with “painful and grave trauma”. She fears men, blames herself for ‘inducing’ him to sexually abuse her.

Despite her request to inform his wife, he warned her against it, and threatened that if she decided to tell others, no one would believe her because of his ‘position in society’.

She was left bleeding after his violent rape, and the internal damage he caused meant she had to have medical procedures.

She has also been left with suicidal tendencies and has attempted suicide thrice before.

Amirul told the Irish police that he did not consider his actions as rape and sexual assault as he claimed they were consensual.

The Medical Council intends to have him struck off the register.

However, many questions have been raised in the legal profession by members of An Garda Síochána, the national police and security service of Ireland, as to why Amirul was not charged with rape.

On his return to Malaysia, the convicted sex offender should be banned from practising medicine.

His name should be placed on the Malaysian Sex Offenders’ List, and concerned parents and communities with young children should be given access to the information.

Amirul should not be given the same pathetic light treatment like the convicted paedophile and MARA maths scholar Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin, whom the then MARA chairman Annuar Musa wanted to be given a second chance.

Why do some entitled and privileged Malaysians fail to uphold the good name and image of the nation whilst studying and working overseas?

Sources:

1. Malaysiakini: M’sian paedophile shrink offers victim’s family €2k to settle case
2. The Irish Independent: CAMHS child psychiatrist jailed for grooming and sexually abusing a teenage girl
3. The Irish Independent: ‘He said if she told, no one would believe her’ – parents of girl raped by CAMHS psychiatrist tell of her horrifying ordeal and remarkable courage

(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)