'Overcrowding may lead to incest'

'Overcrowding may lead to incest'

MALAYSIA: The wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said couples should space out the births of their children because over-crowding can lead to incest, the New Sunday Times reported.

Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali said couples should consider whether their house had enough room for a large family and take into consideration income and living conditions.

Mostly Muslim Malaysia plans to impose harsher sentences on offenders after a series of incestuous rapes involving children.

Under tough new laws, such rapists will be jailed for up to 30 years, from 20 years currently, and given a minimum of 10 strokes of the cane.

Sex offenders above the age of 50, previously spared the cane, will now be liable for the punishment.

Official statistics show a total of 1,221 incest cases were reported in Malaysia between 1998 and July 2002. Reports of fathers raping daughters have become more common. --Reuters