Mind your sexist remarks, parliamentarians told
A coalition of womens groups today submitted a memorandum to the Dewan Rakyat speaker on sexism and gender stereotyping, requesting the Dewan Rakyat to incorporate within its rules the principles of non-gender discrimination.
The three-paged memorandum by the Womens Agenda for Change, a coalition of seven non-governmental organisations, called for greater gender sensitisation and equality within the House.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail, who met the group at his office, received the document.
WAC urged Parliament to take necessary steps to prevent and respond to complaints on discriminatory and sexist culture in the House as it was the speakers duty to be constantly alert and aware of the matter.
We are prompted to take this action not only to protest the suspension of Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) and the unjust treatment accorded her but to address the larger picture of a gender-insensitive culture among MPs which results in gender discrimination, said the document.
Women MPs themselves have been subjected to disrespectful gender stereotyping. WAC is gravely concerned as to whether MPs can truly represent the womens constituency if they lack respect, knowledge and comprehension of womens issues, the document added.
WAC said its organising committee will make available to all MPs a copy of the memorandum and encourage every MP to monitor the House.
MPs were requested to alert WAC of any further instances of gender discrimination and sexism within Parliament.
The WAC organising committee hopes that the speaker of the House and its members accept this memorandum in the spirit of constructive criticism that a key institution like the Parliament is capable and willing to put its house in order.
WACs organising committee is comprised of Womens Development Collective (WDC), Sisters in Islam (SIS), All Womens Action Society (Awam), Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (Womens Section), Wanita Jemaah Islah Malaysia, Womens Aid Organisation (WAO) and Malaysian Metal Industries Employees Union.
Among those who were present today were WAO executive director Ivy Josiah, WDC executive director Maria Chin Abdullah and SIS director Zainah Anwar.
Good meeting
Meanwhile, Josiah told malaysiakini that the group had a good meeting with the speaker for about 30 minutes.
She said Zahir recognised that rude, unparliamentary language have been uttered in the House.
He said he will study the matter but didnt see the necessity to impose it within the rules at the moment so we had to explain to him the necessity of naming the (sexist) behaviour, she said.
Josiah said Zahir also related his experiences and difficulties in trying to be the referee when such matters arose in Parliament.
However, she expressed satisfaction that he appeared to be aware of previous statements and memorandums submitted to him and the MPs.
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