The Joint Action Group (JAG), which opposes violence against women, has lamented the government's lack of political will to implement law reform.

NONE "When analysing JAG's advocacy efforts and government response, we detect a pattern of promises made but not kept," it said in a statement today.

"The government makes all the right noises and moves - receiving memoranda, setting up taskforces and committees, conducting studies, holding dialogues and organising huge conferences and public campaigns but all to no avail as they have not followed up with actual delivery."

JAG comprises the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower), All Women's Action Society (Awam), Sisters in Islam (SIS) and Women's Centre for Change (WCC).

Celebrating its 25th anniversary today, JAG held a press conference in Parliament House and a briefing session for members of parliament.

It presented a report entitled 'Women's Status Report: The Good, Bad and Ugly' to highlight amendments to laws and policies that the government "has promised but failed to deliver".

Among these are amendments to all labour laws to incorporate provisions against sexual harassment in the workplace; amendments to the parliamentary Standing Orders to prohibit sexism; reform of the Domestic Violence Act 1994 and amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 and laws related to religious conversion.

NONE Pointing out that she has attended more than 100 meetings with ministry officials over the past decade, WAO executive director Ivy Josiah (left) expressed disappointment that the authorities are "quick to respond with more reports, studies and conferences but fails dismally when it comes to taking effective comprehensive action in addressing issues".

"How many more meetings do we need to have with the government before we get what we want?" she exclaimed.

Also present were SIS executive director Hamidah Marican, Empower executive director Maria Chin Abdullah, Awam vice-president Haslinah Yacob and Awam senior officer Abigail De Vries.

NONE Tawau MP Chua Soon Bui ( right ), Batu MP Tian Chua, Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad, Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, Batu Gajah MP Fong Poh Kuan and Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching were present.

Expressing dismayal that members of the Parliamentary Gender Caucus were absent, Josiah reminded the MPs to fulfill their duty to the citizens in keeping the government honest to their commitments.

Sexism among MPs

The group also noted that sexism often rears its ugly head in the debates in Parliament and among politicians.

Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz had offended women MPs when he used several derogatory terms in Parliament.

jag anti sexist parliament protest 150507 "I am anak jantan (a male), no problem... I'm willing to be investigated. The answer I gave was never intended to mislead the House... I am anak jantan , but I don't know about the anak betina (females) over there," he told Machang MP Saifuddin, who had alleged that he had confused MPs when he quoted an abolished law when winding up the debate on the issue of oil royalty for Kelantan.

JAG also hit out at the government's allocation of RM15 million for divorced Muslim women who have not been paid alimony.

"They should make sure husbands pay up on time instead of assisting them," it said.