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New Straits Times
16 May 2007

Angry women demand apology from sexist MPs
By : June Ramli

Some of the protesters who gathered at the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to highlight their anger at the sexist remarks made by the two MPs in parliament.

KUALA LUMPUR: They fumed, they shouted and they demanded an apology from two members of parliament who had uttered sexist remarks. More than a hundred women gathered at the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry yesterday to urge action against the MPs for the remarks made in parliament. They only left when the minister, Datuk Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, came out to calm them and accept a statement of protest. Shahrizat, who spent about five minutes talking to the protesters, said: "Please don’t be over emotional, we know that it is very important to be gender sensitive and that sexist remarks should not be made in parliament. I will bring it up to the cabinet." Backbenchers Datuk Radin Bung Mokhtar (BN-Kina- batangan) and Datuk Mohd Said Yusuf (BN-Jasin) are said to have passed sexist remarks to Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah). "Where is the leak, the member for Batu Gajah also leaks once a month," they were alleged to have said.

Since then, both MPs have come under fire from various groups and individuals.

Carrying banners and placards and shouting slogans, the protesters, mostly women, remained in front of the ministry from 10.30am to noon.

The banners screamed words such as "Unthinking Male MPs", "More Women MPs less MCPs", and "Hina Wanita tak layak Jadi Pemim- pin" (Those who degrade women do not deserve to be leaders).

The protesters, from various non-governmental organisations and political parties, called themselves the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG). Leaders of the various organisations addressed the gathering.

Maria Chin Abdullah, the executive director of Women’s Development Collective, who spoke on behalf of JAG, called for a public apology from the MPs.

MCA Cheras division branch head Felicia Ling said: "Just because the sexist remarks were said by two Barisan Nasional MPs it does not mean that the BN is not gender sensitive.

"We want the minister and the government to take the necessary action and I want to tell them that 50 per cent of the population (all the women) is behind you on this so there is nothing to be afraid of."

Sisters In Islam executive director Zainah Anwar said the situation was not funny any more.

"I would like to say that Mokhtar, Said, Datuk Mohamad Aziz (Sri Gading-BN), Abdul Fatah Harun (Rantau Panjang-Pas) and Datuk Badruddin Amirulddin (Jerai-BN) should not be selected to contest in the next general election.

"And if they are selected, I urge the voters to reject them. We will also campaign to enlighten their voters as to why we think they are not fit to be elected," she said.

Women’s Aid Organisation president Meera Samanther said MPs should not utter such remarks.

Other groups which took part in the protest included the All Women Action Society, Women’s Centre for Change, Malaysian Trades Union Congress and the DAP.