Malaysia Airlines-owned Firefly should unreservedly apologise to the public for its controversial advertisement criticised for objectifying women, said an opposition state representative.

“It is simply not enough for Firefly to withdraw its ‘bottom advertisements’, only to tell the people that their advertisement is not meant to ‘offend any people’.

“At the minimum, Firefly should apologise to the women in this country,” said Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San in a statement today.

Yesterday, Firefly in response to an outcry over their advertisement showing the rears of two women, told Malaysiakini , “It was never intended to be offensive.”

The carrier has since removed the offensive advertisement from its website.

Ironically, the advertisement’s tagline was, “Oops, we did it again.”

Lau pointed out this was not the first time Firefly had run the offensive campaign.

“The Firefly advertisement also appeared in our papers some time in July 2015. It seems that Firefly has a special instinct with their advertisements.

“This incident should also serve a warning, not only to Firefly but other merchant to be more gender-sensitive in advertising their business,” he said.

He added Firefly was not alone in the tendency to objectify women in advertisements, particularly among the airlines, and that others should be similarly reprimanded.

“It is time for them to be more gender-sensitive and put real effort into improving their services to the passengers at affordable prices.”