COMMENT A nation is not free unless its women are free from violence. This is a quote I remember from a poster I saw in my student days at the Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines.

Our country is not free, for attacks against women political leaders and social activists are on the rise. Violence, it seems is a viable method to control female behaviour and used to justify the subordination of females.

In recent years, vicious attacks on women who have stood up for justice, equality, freedom and integrity have increased in Malaysia.

The pervasiveness of violence against women in public office and civil society leaders in this country is serious. This violence is increasing with impunity.

Attacks on the Seputeh Member of Parliament, Teresa Kok, over a satirical video she was involved in, are turning violent, pervasive and are tantamount to sexual harassment as well.

Offers of monetary rewards for slapping her, slaughtering of chickens and the demeaning posters are very vicious, politically-motivated and appear to be condoned by the government of the day.

According to a Malaysiakini report, the gathering by the self-proclaimed ‘Council of Islamic NGOs’, held in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 6, was organised to “protest against insults to Malay leadership, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Islam and Malay dignity, by politicians, leaders and Chinese chauvinists”.

Aside from the slap offer, the group also slaughtered four chickens and smeared the blood on a banner featuring the faces of several opposition representatives, including Kok.

Such behaviour not a threat?

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s position is that such behaviour is not a threat.

   

However, the Bar Council has declared in its response, "The demonstration by the NGOs, slaughtering chickens and smearing the blood on the pictures of certain leaders and the implicit or explicit reference to May 13, is an incitement and a threat to public order.

"It is wholly irresponsible of the authorities not to take immediate action when there are valid images of the incident."

In recent years in this country, those who have viciously attacked women who have stood up for justice, equality and freedom seem to enjoy virtual impunity.        

On May 15, 2013, a group of retired Armed Forces personnel held ‘butt exercises’ in front of the residence of then Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan. They enjoyed immunity from action, despite public outcries against their despicable behaviour towards a civil society leader.

We have also witnessed attacks against Tenaganita leader Irene Fernandez, who has been  campaigning for greater justice for migrant workers for the last 20 years.

Even demands for revocation of citizenship

Perkasa Youth in 2012 demanded that Irene return her citizenship, claiming that she is a “traitor” to the country for her involvement in a study on discrimination in Malaysia.

Tenaganita together with Equal Rights Trust UK had published a study - “Washing the Tigers: Addressing Discrimination and Inequality in Malaysia”. Perkasa condemned Irene as ‘anti-national’ and demanded that her citizenship be revoked.

A campaign was also launched against Member of Parliament and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, who was accused of supporting apostasy for Muslims, something she had not said at all.

Various attacks have been launched against Fuziah Salleh ( right ), the MP for Kuantan, for her anti-Lynas rare earths processing plant campaigns, while on her part, Fuziah only threatened to take to court a television station and its journalist for personal attacks to discredit her.

 

The increasing violence against women in politics and civil society will put back the gains Malaysia has made in women’s participation in the governance and development process.

Marginalisation of women is reinforced by patriarchy, poverty, illiteracy and religious and cultural norms - which women believed have been diminishing in this country after Malaysia ratified various international conventions such as Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw).

Women’s participation in the political process progressed significantly over the years, particularly with the emergence of a stronger opposition.

However, today the nature of violence against women in public life has taken an ethno-religious dimension as well.

Demand for legal action against Kok

On Tuesday (Feb 11), a group of former elected representatives from the BN called on the  government to take legal action against Kok for producing her Chinese New Year video that allegedly insulted the Malays.

The vice-president of the Malaysian Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak), Mohd Yazid Baba, said this was necessary to prevent such provocation from being repeated in future.

Also on Tuesday, Penang Wanita Umno chief Senator Norliza Abdul Rahim, together with 20 of her members, lodged a police report against Kok at the Bandar Perda police station.

Norliza also expressed her support for the monetary award of RM1,200 for each slap on Kok offered by the Council of Islamic NGOs for allegedly insulting the Malays and Islam in her 11-minute video clip themed ‘Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014', which was uploaded to YouTube on Jan 27.

The police reports against Kok mirror the political divide in this country. The attacks have mainly come from one political party in the BN coalition - Umno.

By their silence, Umno’s partners in the BN have also become its partners in this violence and forms of sexual harassment against women in public service, politicians and NGO leaders as well.

Women leaders are increasingly outspoken and are taking leadership in the public sphere. Is this a threat to the male-dominant political sphere?

Women are an important voting block. The state, it appears, is condoning and promoting violence against women in the public sphere.

The power to end this violence and to punish the perpetrators lies in the hands of women voters.

JOSIE FERNANDEZ is a researcher, social activist and an Asian Public Intellectual.