Activists Fume Over Defence Minister’s Sexist Remark

(Malaysian Digest) – Women’s rights activists were shocked when Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi made a ‘sexist remark’ on the gloves they were giving out at the Parliament House yesterday to campaign for a clean government. The activists claimed that Zahid said, “Pakai sarung tangan pegang isteri nanti tak terasa [Can’t feel the wife if (I) touch her with gloves],” when they gave him a pair of white gloves to symbolize their demand for a corruption-free government.

An activist who overheard Zahid posted the remark on the official Twitter webpage of Wanita Suara Perubahan (Wanita Super MY), the coalition which is organizing the campaign.

“Sexist!” commented Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah, who had been in the delegation to Parliament House, through her Twitter account.

“Although he was joking, this kind of sexual innuendo is unacceptable… this is downright rude. We were pretty shocked,” she told Malaysiakini.

The delegation had made its way to Parliament to muster support for its rally on Sunday.

It was reported that MPs from Pakatan Rakyat vouched their support for the event which is expected to draw some 10,000 participants.

Tawau Independent MP Chua Soon Booi said the purpose of the rally is to call for a graft-free government; decent wages for workers; better quality of life; cessation of all violence against women; repeal of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011; and a clean and fair general election.