Women politicians who suggested that working wives were responsible for the incest crimes committed by their husbands, were criticised today for their irrational justification.

Women's Development Collective (WDC) executive director Maria Chin Abdullah said this was a shallow reasoning which failed to address the root of the problem.

"Even if women stayed at home it did not mean that incest would not happen. Incest is definitely not a female worker's problem," she told malaysiakini .

Recently, Barisan Nasional member of Parliament (MP) for Sepang, Seripah Noli Syed Hussin, when debating the Penal Code Amendment Bill 2001 in Parliament, said incest happened because some wives nowadays were too busy to entertain their husbands.

This prompted a male MP to ask if women should allow their husbands to marry again and Seripah agreed.

Debating the same bill, PAS senator Jamilah Ibrahim said wives, except those working in hospitals, should not be allowed to work at night in order to prevent cases of incest.

According to her, women working at night could not discharge their conjugal responsibilities and this caused husbands to find other outlets for their sexual urge.

Disappointing arguments

Maria expressed disappointment that women MPs also fall prey to the misconception that men's sexual needs should be "serviced at all times" and that women are at fault if they fail to fulfil this role.

"No one should decide the time and place of work for women who can decide for themselves," she said.

She added that women politicians should re-evaluate their gender values or women's relationship with men and find out the root of the problem.

"They should not justify the crime because it is the victim whose life has been violated and trust broken," she stressed.

Maria also said there is a common assumption that all women would speak out against these crimes but according to her "women usually keep quiet about their husbands or male relatives who molest or rape female members of the family due to shame, family unity and their own role in the family."

Echoing a similar concern, DAP Wanita said incest victims endure long-term social and psychological trauma. Some are unable to have intimate relationships for the rest of their lives.

Wanita chief Chong Eng said nobody, including women politicians, should justify these crimes.

Wives should not be blamed for crimes committed by their husbands. All adults regardless of sex should be responsible for their own conduct and action, she said.

"Marital relationship is about shared responsibilities and mutual rights and not just husbands' rights to sex," she added.