One could not agree more with Meera Samanther's letter on the statement by Badruddin Amiruldin in the New Straits Times of April 16 that clothes play a part when someone becomes a rape victim.

That kind of statement by a person in public life can influence the thoughts and actions of others especially the thought that 'maybe she was asking for it' by the particular way a person was dressed. This kind of comment is in the same class as that made by an East Malaysian MP last year who said that if a woman knew she could not avoid being raped, she would be better off to 'just lie back and enjoy it'. Later, of course, these remarks were retracted.

Guys like this are an anachronism, a throwback to the Stone Age, when men were supposed to have bonked women on the head and dragged 'em back to the cave by the hair. But I blame our Malaysian women for letting them get away with it.

Here are these very public figures. They strut around talking sexist poppycock and enjoying their daily fifteen minutes of fame on 'Laporan Parliamen Hari Ini'. Yet how polite and genteel is Meera's studied response to this blatant attack on her gender.

That's why very little changes.

Every few months, a new 'shocking' remark emerges from one of the Dewan geniuses. Which earns more polite rejoinders from others like Meera. Once in a while, the Cro-Magnon band produce a truly colossal violation of gender equality - think of a recent new piece of legislation.

Wonder of wonders! Even the lady minister in charge of Women's Affairs gets to okay this juggernaut (perhaps she was obediently following the advice of the sexist oaf from East Malaysia to 'lie back and enjoy it, if you can't fight back'?)

May I suggest a remedy?

Give it exposure where it counts. Send flyers, emails and SMS's to all the Umno Wanita and Puteri Umno Committee members in Badruddin's constitutuency, listing his unfitness to represent them or the voters there.

Ditto with the MCA, Gerakan and MIC people. Take advertising space in the papers or at least in online media, at regular intervals, asking for Badruddin's removal either at the nomination stage or at the polls.

Think up catchy slogans a la 'Hell no, we won't go!' which was used by anti-Vietnam War students fighting the draft.

In short, make him feel the heat where it counts, so he has to look for another job. Then you will make the sexists shiver a little.