DAP and PKR elected representatives who had attacked her as disparaging housewives following a Malaysiakini report should apologise to her, the MCA and all women, Penang MCA chief Chew Mei Fun has demanded.

Chew was referring to a Malaysiakini report MCA: People tired of Azizah's housewife antics which was published yesterday.

"I wish to make it clear that never once had I mentioned, nor hinted, nor had any intention, nor referred to the PKR (Permatang Pauh) candidate Wan Azizah as a 'housewife' or 'housewife antics' as published in the aforesaid article.

Malaysiakini today ran the report  Chew did not describe Azizah as 'housewife' to clarify the issue.

"The perceptions of 'housewife antics' were introduced by Malaysiakini , and not by me at all," she told reporters at MCA headquarter in Kuala Lumpur today.

Chew replayed the recording of the Malaysiakini interview, which took place in Permatang Pauh, in the press conference to clear herself of any mention of the word “housewife”.

She also named DAP and PKR lawmakers, namely Chong Eng (Padang Lalang assemblyperson), Kasthuri Patto (Batu Kawan MP), Lim Siew Khim (Sungai Pinang assemblyperson), Fuziah Salleh (Kuantan MP), Rodziah Ismail (Batu Tiga assemblyperson) Mansor Othman (Nibong Tebal MP) and Sim Tze Tzin (Bayan Baru MP) as the elected representatives who should make the apology.

“Failing which, we reserve our right to initiate legal proceedings against them,” the MCA Penang state liaison committee chairperson warned.

'Misused gender issues to gain votes'

They have "misused gender issues to gain votes which is hitting below the belt and is disrespectful against women,” Chew ( right ) said.

She pointed out that Malaysiakini has since published a clarification this morning, which she described as having “lack of sincerity”.

The clarification read: “The term housewife in the headline was used to indicate the perception often levelled at Wan Azizah for always being in the shadow of her well-known husband, Anwar...

“ Malaysiakini 's explanation appears aimed at justifying and tying the ‘housewife’ term to my comments when posed by the media and thus lacks sincerity.

“As evidenced from the PKR and DAP female public rebuke of me, it is clear my reputation has been tarnished by the inference cast in the Malaysiakini article,” Chew lamented.

Wan Azizah, PKR president and Kajang assemblyperson, was thrust into the battle to keep Anwar’s parliamentary seat with PKR after her family failed to obtain a pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to seek her husband’s early release from prison.