Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat's ideas and comments on the "fairer sex" have irked women's groups for a long time. So much has been written about his controversial views that one would be inclined to think that the PAS spiritual leader, fondly known as Tok Guru , is the very persona of male chauvinism.
Wait a minute. Go visit Kelantan, the eastern state which was ruled by this man for more than a decade.
Indeed, Kelantan, like any other Malaysian state, is not perfect. It claims to be stable economically with no debts and yet it is striving hard to keep its roads dirt-free.
Indeed, Kelantan under PAS, and for that matter Terengganu, are not benchmarks of freedom, human rights and democracy.
Yet to say Kelantan is the embodiment of Islamic fundamentalism or extremism is sheer prejudice.
Women candidates
Having come under growing pressures, PAS now says it is prepared to field women candidates in the coming general elections. An attempt, one might say, to boost its image and to project its policies as being fair to women.
In an interview with malaysiakini yesterday, Nik Aziz reiterated that women will be fielded in all constituencies where arch rival Umno places its women candidates.
"We will give them [women] the chance [to contest]. It is up to them whether they want to or not," said the Muslim-based party leader.
Nik Aziz reminisced that PAS had fielded women candidates even as far back as the 1969 general elections.
"(But then) there were many problems such as our women candidates were disturbed and harassed so we stop it for awhile. Now we are ready to do it again," he added.
Yet to change
Women's groups, particularly Sisters in Islam, often take Nik Aziz to task for his "retrogressive comments on women and work".
According to SIS, Nik Aziz's views on women have yet to to reflect the changing realities and circumstances of women's lives today.
SIS' indignation are often based on the menteri besar's assertion that it is man's nature and responsibility to support the family, and therefore it is unfair and unnecessary for women to work.
The home is a woman's responsibility and the nurturing of children and housework are naturally women's work, he had stressed.
"How can you say I do not allow women to work? Take a look around Kelantan, see for yourself. I have women working in my office," Nik Aziz told malaysiakini .
"Women here work in very important positions. More than half of the teachers in this state are women," he stressed.
Malay heartland
Indeed, one could find women working in every nook and corner of this Malay heartland, particularly, in its capital, Kota Bharu.
Women can be found in hotels, shopping centres and restaurants, even on night shifts.
The most popular and busiest evening markets, Siti Khatijah and Parit Dalam, are visibly dominated by women traders who work alongside with their male counterparts.
The women traders are reported to be highly empowered, too.
Recently, a group had staged a protest outside the Kota Bharu town council. They were unhappy when they received a directive from the council asking them to relocate to a new building, the Central Market.
The women refused to budge and claimed they had been earning well for decades in the open bazaar since there is little competition. Therefore, they questioned the logic of having to relocate to a new building.
"When Nik Aziz heard of their protest, he sent his officers to investigate," said Kota Bharu town councillor Hu Pang Chaw.
"When he realised there were some truth in the women's words, he terminated the relocation exercise," Hu added.
Compulsory head scarf
However, there are certain policies that one might consider as an infringement of women's freedom such as the compulsion for Muslim women who work in government offices to wear the tudung (headscarf).
"Yes, there is a by-law for this," the PAS leader conceded, "but we have chosen a more moderate approach.
"There are two types of tudung the purdah (covers the entire face, revealing only the eyes) and the telekung .
"We chose the telekung because it is permitted by the Quran and is a part of the Kelantanese women's culture and dressing," explained Nik Aziz.
However, there are Muslim women who do not adhere to this policy outside of the workplace. There are women who are seen on the streets with their loose hair, spotting short skirts and body-hugging blouses.
"There are a few brave ones who dare challenge the status quo ," said a local journalist.
Seductive female voice
Another policy that has raised the ire of women's groups is the ban on women voices in Quran recital programmes.
Clarifying the issue, Nik Aziz said in Islam "women's voices are considered aurat ". Meaning, they are able to seduce a man.
"So I have disallowed women to recite the Quran publicly in a melodious tone.
"But this year, we allow them to recite. However, they must do it without using the melodious tone," he said.
The Tok Guru did not elaborate how this could be done.
Nik Aziz nevertheless went on to explain that "men and women are different".
"In the past [under Umno's rule], men and women were given the freedom to mix freely as though there were no difference between them.
"There must be limitations in their relation with one another [to avoid problems]," he insisted.
To do that, Nik Aziz has implemented several controversial policies such as separate queues in shopping centres and different resting stations in the park for men and women. However, these are not strictly enforced.
Extended maternity leave
These practices seem illogical to the average Malaysian but PAS officials maintained that they were put in place to "discourage close proximity between males and females who are not married to one another".
To the women of Kelantan, however, these restrictions are compensated by the state's flexibility in other areas such as extended maternity leave for women.
Since 1997, women have been enjoying 60 days of maternity leave compared to the previous 42 days.
Moreover, a five-day work week has also done wonders for women's health and provided quality time for them to spend with their families, they say.
