N E W S
The Star
16 May 2007

Group hands over memo to minister, demands apology

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil meeting leaders of the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) when they staged a protest against two MPs who had insulted women in Parliament. The group wanted an apology from and action against the two MPs. —RAJA SHAMSUL BAHREN / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of women – and men – gathered in front of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry yesterday to protest against the sexist remarks made by two MPs and demanded their suspension and an apology. Led by the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG), a coalition of seven non-governmental organisations, the protestors, including representatives from various political parties like Wanita MCA Beliawanis, DAP, PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat, handed over a memorandum to minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil calling for an end to sexism in Parliament, The furore started last week in the Dewan Rakyat when Opposition MPs tried to raise a motion on the leaking ceiling near the media centre. Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN – Kinabatangan) and Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (BN – Jasin) then said “Mana bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor setiap bulan. (Where is the leak? Batu Gajah [MP Fong Po Kuan] also leaks monthly).”

Fong, who was at the protest, said neither Bung Mokhtar nor Mohd Said had apologised to her.

“They should apologise from the heart. If they apologise only when the Prime Minister asks them to, then they are not sincere,” she said.

Shahrizat called on protestors not to be overly emotional and said it was not necessary to have a street protest.

“We are doing something about it. We want all MPs and everyone to be gender-sensitive. Such remarks are not acceptable and should not be uttered in Parliament,” she said, adding that she would raise the issue in Cabinet today .

Sisters in Islam programme manager Zaitun Mohamed Kasim said this was not the first time that such insensitive comments were made by the MPs which reflected a deep culture of sexism in Parliament .

“It also reflects badly on men that these MPs have a shallow mind and can only think of these things and nothing more,” she added.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said the Cabinet should issue a public apology to Parliament and women in view of the disgraceful episode.

“The entire Cabinet should be sent for intensive gender-sensitivity course so that ministers will set a good example for all the MPs,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Lim also questioned why the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity failed to convene yesterday despite the meeting being arranged two weeks ago.

He said no notification was made of the meeting being postponed.

Meanwhile, Lim will be among the speakers at a forum entitled Respect Women's Dignity Towards A 1st World Parliament to be held tomorrow.

The forum will be held at the YMCA Hall, off Jalan Tun Sambanthan, from 7.30pm and will feature eight speakers.

Other speakers include Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan, Women Development Collective executive director Maria Chin Abdullah and Sisters in Islam executive director Zainah Anwar.

N E W S
The Star
16 May 2007

Group hands over memo to minister, demands apology

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil meeting leaders of the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) when they staged a protest against two MPs who had insulted women in Parliament. The group wanted an apology from and action against the two MPs. —RAJA SHAMSUL BAHREN / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of women – and men – gathered in front of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry yesterday to protest against the sexist remarks made by two MPs and demanded their suspension and an apology. Led by the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG), a coalition of seven non-governmental organisations, the protestors, including representatives from various political parties like Wanita MCA Beliawanis, DAP, PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat, handed over a memorandum to minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil calling for an end to sexism in Parliament, The furore started last week in the Dewan Rakyat when Opposition MPs tried to raise a motion on the leaking ceiling near the media centre. Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN – Kinabatangan) and Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (BN – Jasin) then said “Mana bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor setiap bulan. (Where is the leak? Batu Gajah [MP Fong Po Kuan] also leaks monthly).”

Fong, who was at the protest, said neither Bung Mokhtar nor Mohd Said had apologised to her.

“They should apologise from the heart. If they apologise only when the Prime Minister asks them to, then they are not sincere,” she said.

Shahrizat called on protestors not to be overly emotional and said it was not necessary to have a street protest.

“We are doing something about it. We want all MPs and everyone to be gender-sensitive. Such remarks are not acceptable and should not be uttered in Parliament,” she said, adding that she would raise the issue in Cabinet today .

Sisters in Islam programme manager Zaitun Mohamed Kasim said this was not the first time that such insensitive comments were made by the MPs which reflected a deep culture of sexism in Parliament .

“It also reflects badly on men that these MPs have a shallow mind and can only think of these things and nothing more,” she added.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said the Cabinet should issue a public apology to Parliament and women in view of the disgraceful episode.

“The entire Cabinet should be sent for intensive gender-sensitivity course so that ministers will set a good example for all the MPs,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Lim also questioned why the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity failed to convene yesterday despite the meeting being arranged two weeks ago.

He said no notification was made of the meeting being postponed.

Meanwhile, Lim will be among the speakers at a forum entitled Respect Women's Dignity Towards A 1st World Parliament to be held tomorrow.

The forum will be held at the YMCA Hall, off Jalan Tun Sambanthan, from 7.30pm and will feature eight speakers.

Other speakers include Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan, Women Development Collective executive director Maria Chin Abdullah and Sisters in Islam executive director Zainah Anwar.