DAP women representatives, furious with a sexually-tinged remark made by Housing Minister Abang Johari Openg, want it expunged from the Hansard of the Sarawak state assembly.

He had told DAP State assemblywoman for Pending state assemblyperson Violet Yong " belum kahwin kah, saya masih ada tiga kuota lagi " (not married yet? I have three slots still available).

The minister said this yesterday in the Sarawak state assembly during an exchange of words with Yong over the plight of vendors at Kubah Ria market.

The DAP representative had asked the minister to ' turun padang ' and to find out whether the vendors were happy or not with the condition of the market.

Yong said she and other DAP women in the House, considered this remark as tantamount to sexual harassment.

"It's very insulting and disrespectful to women. I move a motion for the words to be expunged from the Hansard and we want the minister to apologise to the women representatives.

"We want to know what the minister was trying to imply in saying could take three more in his quota," she said.

She expressed disappointment that the motion was rejected by speaker Asfia Awang Nasar who held that the remarks were made in a humorous and friendly fashion.

Yong also pointed out that the House could be seen as condoning and allowing sexually-charged remarks to be made.

"We thinks those words are unhealthy and unparliamentary. The elected male representatives must be gender sensitive and it's regretful the speaker did not take it seriously.

"You cannot speak from your ego. If you were a woman in the House, how would you feel?"