Govt MP's Remarks in Parliament on Female-MP: It is Very Vulgar and Despicable Behaviour by ANY Standard

" The Malaysian Parliament ( and especially, the Speaker of the House, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib ) should be ashamed for taking NO action against such despicable behaviour of the two Govt backbenchers.

These Parliamentarians are BAD role models for our children and our youth.

Sadly, no female MP stood up to defend the integrity and honor of women in Parliament caused by such distasteful remarks from their male colleagues.

The Prime Minister must demand an apology from these two MISFITS in Parliament."
-"Malaysian Unplug"

"... Sheer dominance and the Power of Majority has make it to the point that those in power NEVER need to fear or bothered about their roles and responsibility towards their duties as the citizens' representatives in the highest legislative body.

The MPs were entrusted with fiduciary duties of which the people elected them but the nation has now turn the Parliament into a Circus and Parliamentarians have become monkeys, the wild type. ..."
- "Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin"

Related article in International Herald Tribune: "Malaysian law minister defends alleged sexist remark by Parliament colleagues". Read here for more

The Victim of Vulgar Abuse in Parliament

MP Fong Po Kuan
(DAP-Batu Gajah)

The Parliament House roof sprang leaks in several parts during a downpour. In the heat of the debate, there were shouts over the "leaky" Parliament House, which had undergone an RM80 million renovation about two years ago.

The Parliamentarian-Abusers

Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin
(BN-Kinabatangan)

Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (BN-Jasin)
(photos courtesy of kickdefella)

These two Govt. MPs said:
"Mana bocor, Batu Gajah pun tiap-tiap bulan pun bocor juga."
("Where is the leak? Batu Gajah MP also leaks every month.")
- referring to Ms Fong Po Kuan's menstrual cycle

The Fall-Out ?

1. The Shameless Do-Nothing Parliamentarians

• The Speaker of the House, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib, rejected the motion when
  Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) filed to refer the two BN MPs (one for making the sexist remarks and the other for supporting the remarks) to the committee. Citing Standing Order 26 (1P), he said he could not allow the motion as it was not brought up when the incident occurred. "It happened yesterday afternoon but the motion was only raised this morning. So I have to reject the motion," he said, to cheers from some BN MPs.
  
  
• Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said it was up to Parliament to decide, but when pressed whether it was proper for MPs to make such remarks, he said: “I don’t want to pass judgment about what they said. They said it in a very ... It was NOT supposed to be taken seriously, I think if you take it with a sense of humour, then ... But of course people are making a big meal out of this issue.”
  
  
• Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad said the Opposition "went overboard" when it tried to refer two backbenchers to parliament’s privileges committee on Thursday.Shahrir said the matter could have been settled within the confines of the Dewan Rakyat if Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan had declared her hurt and asked for an apology. He felt that Fong would have made a better case for herself that way rather than try and refer Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Moktar Radin and Jasin MP Datuk Mohd Said Yusof to the privileges committee.
  
  
• Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said he did NOT find the choice of words used by both to be offensive.“Unless of course it was their intention to offend her. I don’t know what their thoughts were. If they want to apologise, it is up to them.”Nazri said what was unparliamentary or not was up to the person who heard it. On the chair’s decision, Nazri said it was the right decision and the opposition had used the same standing order against him in the past.
  
  
• Datuk Idris Haron, the BN-MP for Tangga Batu said: "I feel that she (Fong) should not see it as a gender issue. I feel she is using this issue as a means of getting publicity for her own political agenda. When we said such things in parliament, we take them as a JOKE , not as a personal attack."
  

2. Public Outcry

Several women’s organisations reacted angrily to the sexist remark made by two backbenchers against Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan, saying it was unacceptable.

• Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is also unhappy with the incident. “Even in jest, it should not have been done. I would like to request all MPs to show exemplary behaviour, especially on gender issues,” she said yesterday.
  
  
• All Women’s Action Society president Judith Koh-Loh said Ramli's expression of regret was insufficient considering the enormity of the insult. “The fact that the august body allowed a ‘joke’ to be made about the function of the female body, without any sanctions, marks another low point in the history of parliamentary debates,” she said.
  
  
• Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah said: ”There is a difference between a joke and a demeaning remark. Because of the poor understanding of sexual harassment, the remarks are dismissed.”
  
  
• Sisters in Islam programme manager Zaitun Kasim said the remarks made by the MPs were completely offensive. “The remarks they made reflected more on them as they could not think of something better to say,” she said.
  
  
• Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan said parliamentarians should lead the way in being gender sensitive.
  
  
• Wanita MCA wants MPs to be more sensitive in future when they speak about women. “The issue is not about Government versus the Opposition. It is about respecting each other’s gender rights,” the wing’s deputy head Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said.
  
  
• From The Sun: " It was clearly a sexist remark made by an MP. But Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib today needed an unprecedented four and a half hours to make a decision whether to refer the MP to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee for disciplinary action. Ramli returned from lunch and said "No". Read here for more
  
  
• Wong Chun Wai in The Star: Read here for more: "... It’s amazing how our lawmakers who repeatedly display political cockiness, make sexist remarks and behave in an uncouth manner can still get themselves re-elected.
  
  The incorrigible Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin who has a notorious reputation for using un-parliamentary language, created Malaysian parliamentary history when he uttered a four-letter word against a DAP woman six years ago.
  
  But what was more frustrating was the lame defence put up by some backbenchers. This must surely be a case of partisan politics going overboard.
  
  As politicians with the Yang Berhormat (The Right Honourable) title, should they not have acted in a more honourable and gentlemanly manner? We expect our lawmakers to articulate their views without having to shout, much less shout profanities and make sexist remarks.
  
  In 2000, Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN – Sri Gading) touched a raw nerve when he started his speech saying: “It is unusual for women’s issues to be touched (raised) by men,” and after a pause, he added, “but women are supposed to be touched by men.”
  
  The Opposition also has its share of ugly MPs who are afflicted with the foot-in-the-mouth disease. The PAS MP for Rantau Panjang Abdul Fatah Harun made headlines last year when he labelled divorcees as gatal (randy) and went on to say it was not a sexist remark. Abdul Fatah said he based this on his observation at gatherings and parties, and the impression was that these women were gatal. He went on to say that it was quite obvious why these women ended up divorced or why their husbands left them. ..."
  
  
• Wanita MCA chief Dr Ng Yen Yen issued a statement criticising the two BN MPs for their “offensive” remarks. She said: "It shows absolute disregard for decorum and vilifies the dignity of both our Parliament and women in general. They should never have uttered such insensitivities anywhere, not even in their private conversations let alone in full view of the public . MCA as a party and on behalf of Wanita MCA, I want to voice my firm protest against such crudity. It is offensive even to the simplest of minds that we speak like this about anyone regardless of their gender, in this 21st century. I have spoken to YB Dato' Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil, Minister for Women, Family and Communitiy Development and I have also expressed my view over this vulgarity and crude behaviour. Malaysian women from all walks of life will not tolerate this kind of insult."
  
  Ng said that she was happy to hear that Shahrizat would be raising the matter during the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
  
  
• Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will take action to ensure that statements that insult or belittle women will not be repeated in parliament. "I feel hurt at what happened and I want concrete steps taken to ensure that similar incidents do not recur. I will raise the matter at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss the steps to be taken. I will seek the opinions of Cabinet ministers to review and amend the rules on use of proper language in parliament. This has been happening many times and must not be taken lightly. More importantly, we want action."
  
  Shahrizat said it was up to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz to take the necessary action against MPs who uttered such words.
  
  
• The Joint Action Group on Gen­der Equality (JAG) is organising a public protest tomorrow outside the Women, Family and Community Develop­ment Ministry in the Bukit Perdana Government Complex. The protest will start at 11am with the reading of a statement from the group, after which JAG representatives hope to meet the minister.“What we aim to achieve is to stop all this discrimination and sexism in the Parliament, and also to ensure there is a mechanism to take care of this kind of behaviour,” Women’s Development Collective executive director Maria Chin Abdullah said on behalf of JAG.

COMMENTARIES:

• From KTemoc Konsider Blog: Read here for more
  
  "...'Ere the dust has settled down on my posting Mindless Morons in Monkey Mansion, the crude creepy Cyclops and his menstruation-mesmerised monyet mate have been up to ... of course monkey ... tricks again - it's their usual sickening shameless simian behaviour.
  
  According to malaysiakini, the latter, joined by the former, made mind boggling sexist remarks about DAP Fong Po Kuan’s menstrual cycle in that place ... yes, none other than that ... Monkey House - apologies again to inmate exceptions....Is there no shame in that Monkey House? (apologies to all real simians, not those wannabes)..."
  
  
• From LimKitSiang Blog: Read here for more
  
  ".. The Kinabatangan MP (Mokhtar) behaved as though he has NO mother, or daughters or sisters. And the BN can thump unashamedly at the rejection of the motion on technical ground.
  
  Public Accounts Committee Chairman and Barisan Nasional (BN) MP for Johor Baru, Datuk Shahrir Samad is losing his critical faculty of distinguishing between right and wrong when he has the heart to criticize the DAP MP for Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan, the victim again of parliamentary “male chauvinist” attacks, but does not have the nerve to castigate the two sexist BN MPs, Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin) and Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan), for their abominable conduct.
  
  What is even more deplorable, all the BN MPs in the Chambers thumped their table in glee and celebration when Po Kuan’s motion was rejected by the Speaker – demonstrating that they were in full support and solidarity with the actions of the two sexist BN MPs! .
  
  I am shocked that Nazri had tried to minimize and even trivialize the issue by explaining it away as a “play with words” and “part and parcel of parliamentary debate”.
  
  Let Nazri be reminded that “play with words” and “part and parcel of parliamentary debate” are no good defence whatsoever for defamation or gratuitous insult of an individual, organization or community, or sedition in Parliament, and MPs must be prepared to face the full consequences for such parliamentary breach of privilege whether before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee or the court of law in the case of sedition with regard to entrenched sensitive issues in the Constitution.
  
  
• Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin Blog:Read Here for More
  
  "..Malaysian Parliamentarians: they are so lack of Morality; it's lowest with our legislatures. Sheer dominance and the power of majority has make it to the point that those in power never need to fear or bothered about their roles and responsibility towards their duties as the citizens' representatives in the highest legislative body. The MPs were entrusted with fiduciary duties of which the people elected them but the nation has now turn the parliament into a circus and parliamentarians have become monkeys, the wild type.
  
  Datuk Idris Haron, the BN-MP for Tangga Batu said: "I feel that she (Fong) should not see it as a gender issue. I feel she is using this issue as a means of getting publicity for her own political agenda. When we said such things in parliament, we take them as a joke, not as a personal attack."
  
  ....it's a great joke, a joke that lowers the integrity of another, and a joke that was forbidden by Islam, and a joke that was uttered by 2 Muslims and the other Muslim MPs concurred with such a joke.
  
  Is it a joke? Could the other MPs also say a joke on them and call them faggots, that they prefer assholes and at times they prefer to be pedophiles?
  
  This is NO joke... and sadly it comes from those who shouted so loud of their dedicated and faith in Islam, the world revered and respected religion.
  
  To Haron Idris, it should not be seen as a gender issue. It is a disrespect for the woman as a whole and sinful in accordance with Islam. But to these few Muslims, their interpretation of Islamic thoughts are different; for them, what they did or said are abiding...."
  
  
• "Politics 101 Malaysia" Blog: Read here for more
  
  "..Kurang ajar BN MPs leak filth: Batu Gajah MP bulan-bulan pun bocor” (Batu Gajah MP also leaks every month). Dude, this is too rich, even for a professed MCP like me.
  
  Po Kuan’s modesty has been repeatedly raped by these Umno bush pigs since she was elected into office in 1999. Over the years it’s been worse.
  
  You’ve got to give it to Po Kuan. This lady is a tough cookie...."
  
  
• "Mob's Crib" Blog: Read Here for more
  
  "....Why be an elective representative when you can’t even STAND UP against SEXISM?
  You shamed and failed the people, MPs...."
  
  
  (Image courtesy of "Mob's Crib")
  
• "Jelas.info' Blog: Read here for more
  
  "...What does it take, ladies and gents, to rid ourselves of such blatant sexism, discrimination, evasion of responsibility and complete lack of dignity or manners?
  
  .... Can you imagine that ‘Yang Berhormats’ Dtk Mohd Said Yusof and Dtk Bung Mokhtar actually kiss their mothers, wives and daughters with that mouth?
  
  
• Anak Malaysia: Read here for more
  
  "...This must be a sign of the times. Women are fair game for all kinds of jokes, especially those that go below the belt.
  
  There is clear and present evidence that BN parliamentarians have lost their sense of decency in the august house. Dirty jokes are no longer a dirty word, and women in BN don't count, do they?
  
  With nary a whimper of protest from any female BN representatives in attendance (see, they even silently agree that their opinions don't matter in the chauvinistic world of Barisan Nasional) ... well, I just don't know anymore. Do you?
  
  These BN wakil rakyats will continue to SHOCK and AWE you with amazing stuff coming from their uncouth tongues and minds.
  
  That's right. Do like the female BN representatives do in such situations.
  
  Take whatever is dished out to you by the chauvinistic guys lying down because you people VOTED them in, didn't you?..."
  
  
• Zainol Abideen : Read here for more
  
  This should open up the eyes of the Malaysian Voters as to the standard and quality of the BN MP's or the apparent lack of it! In a way, the Malaysian citizens deserve the type of representatives that they vote into power in the BN ruling government.
  
  You can see whether it is worth our time and effort queuing up in the hot sun and vote such idiots into being the MP's or the SA's to represent the respective constituencies?
  
  Some sleep in the Parliament, some just waste their time nodding off or seem to be in a stupor. Some raise worthless issues and matters.
  
  Some like the 2 BN MP's insult the womenfolk by their shows of crass uncouth mannerisms best suited for the low class degenerates found in the slums and back streets of any nation.
  
  The people of Kinabatangan and Jasin...I pity you! Deepest condolences to those of you who voted the 2 idiots into power.
  
  They are not only not fit to be called 'Yang Berhormat's' ; they deserve to be slapped right across their ugly mugs by the female MP's whom they insulted!
  
  The 'YB' title is wasted on such vermin! A gentleman does not address a woman like that! This reveals the type of low class simians who got past the gates of Parliament on the BN's ticket!
  
  So much for 'CEMERLANG, GEMILANG, TERBILANG'! Looks like those 2 got in through their election time 'TEMBERANG'!
  
  Will the citizens of Kinabatangan and Jasin ever learn? Let's all wait for the coming GE and see whether they did or will ever do?
  
  Malaysians, observe how your MP's behave in Parliament.
  
  Decide wisely when the GE comes!