Gerakan Wanita today tried to put out the fire ignited by its Kedah youth chief Tan Keng Liang, urging him to withdraw his inappropriate Internet posting about Subang Jaya state assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh's pregnancy.

However, Gerakan Wanita deputy chief Ng Siew Lai stressed that Tan's remark was unintended and that it was distorted and enlarged by certain quarters for political gain.

NONE "After the incident, I had contacted Tan and he told me that he does not mean to offend women but someone had deliberately distorted the original intent and caused misinterpretation," Ng ( left ) said in a statement today.

She said the remark was a "discussion with friends in private" between Tan and his friends on the Internet.

"Anyway, after listening to the explanation from Tan, I still think that if that particular representative (Hannah Yeoh) or all women in Malaysia feel that they are being offended, Wanita Gerakan supposes Tan should pull-back his comment publicly," she added.

Tan had come under heavy fire from several Pakatan leaders and netizens after he passed a remark on Hannah Yeoh's pregnancy.

During a Twitter discussion last Sunday, he posed the question: "Would you choose Jessica Lai or Hannah Yeoh who will be on maternity leave soon?"

Lai is the MCA Beliawanis treasurer and is tipped to contest against Yeoh in the next general election.

In her statement, Ng said Gerakan has always been in the frontline upholding women's rights, including the 90-day maternity leave, and encouraging women to participate in the job market and politics.

She cited her own pregnancy in 2002, during her tenure as assemblyperson, when the party gave her its full support and that she had assigned her assistants to carry on the services and activities for voters during her maternity leave.

"As a representative of people, one should give clear explanation to electorates when applying for long holiday or maternity leave. In that period of time, arrangement of assistants should be made wisely to continue serving the electorates but not politicise the issue and neglect the needs of people."