Hanipa questions Azalina's gender, draws flak from opposition MPs
PARLIAMENT | De facto Deputy Law Minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin was rapped by opposition members today who said he had gone overboard by questioning the gender of Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang).
This happened when Hanipa was winding up the Anti-Fake News (Repeal) Bill 2019 debate at the committee stage at the Dewan Rakyat.
PARLIAMENT | De facto Deputy Law Minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin was rapped by opposition members today who said he had gone overboard by questioning the gender of Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang).
This happened when Hanipa was winding up the Anti-Fake News (Repeal) Bill 2019 debate at the policy stage at the Dewan Rakyat.
Azalina, who interjected to ask the deputy minister a question, began by saying she had to wear her glasses.
"I am wearing my spectacles. I want to see the deputy minister clearly, as (he) sometimes looks small and sometimes looks big," said Azalina.
She added that for fake news, the system in Malaysia was fair with the judiciary deciding if anyone had breached the law unlike the situation in Singapore where the republic's minister had a say in determining fake news.
Hanipa said: "I will answer Pengerang (MP Azalina) who said sometimes I am fat and sometimes I appeared slim, right?"
"Like Pengerang lah, sometimes she looks like a woman, sometimes she looks like a man," he said.
The remark immediately courted flak from opposition members who urged the deputy minister to withdraw his remark.
Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) stood up and said Hanipa had made a sexist remark by questioning Azalina's gender.
Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon then instructed Hanipa to retract his remark.
Hanipa obliged and added that he and Azalina were still friends.
After Hanipa withdrew his remark, opposition lawmakers said they have had enough of Amanah leader and urged to House to immediately start the voting process for the bill.
Rashid, however, instructed the angry opposition lawmakers to sit down so Hanipa could continue with his winding-up speech.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Harapan-Setiawangsa) then urged opposition lawmakers to stop interrupting Hanipa's speech.
Opposition lawmakers were also not happy with Hanipa who earlier had said the Anti-Fake News Act was used by the BN administration against its detractors.
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