IT wouldn’t be an overstatement to claim that since Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her deputy Hannah Yeoh were forced to vacate their portfolios in the aftermath of the “Sheraton move”, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has been plagued by inept leadership.
This is given the ministry has been at the centre of one brouhaha after another for rendering illogical or rather derogatory advice to Malaysian women.
A case in point would be the tip to women to “wear make-up while working at home” or “to speak to the spouse in a Doraemon voice and giggle coyly” which hit global headlines (for the wrong reason) at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
In late December last year, its Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun was embroiled in a “water-jet stunt” publicity “to clean bird and lizard droppings” (so claimed the Welfare Department) at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Salak Tinggi relief centre in the aftermath of flooding after Malaysians mocked her for seemingly hosing down already-clean drains.
Set against such horrendous backdrop, it is only timely that the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) to demand the resignation of Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff for her statement in support of domestic violence.
In a two-minute video released on social media, the deputy minister, who is also PAS central Muslimat council chief, shared marital advice including recommending that husbands use a “gentle but firm physical touch” on their wives.
“As a minister who is meant to uphold gender equality and the rights of women to protection and safety, this is abhorrent, denies women the right to equality, their right to dignity and to be free from degrading treatment. It is grossly in error and a demonstration of failed leadership,” JAG pointed out in a joint statement endorsed by 11 member organisations.
It includes the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Sisters in Islam (SIS), KRYSS Network, Sarawak Women for Women Society (SWWS), EMPOWER, Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), Association of Women Lawyers (AWL), All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), 9. TENAGANITA, Family Frontiers and the Sabah Women’s Action Resource Group (SAWO).
“The Deputy Minister must step down for normalising domestic violence, which is a crime in Malaysia, as well as for perpetuating ideas and behaviours that are opposed to gender equality,” JAG further pointed out.
“There is often stigma and fear attached to reporting domestic violence and this is made worse by statements such as those of Siti Zailah.”
During the movement control order (MCO) period in 2020 and 2021 alone, JAG observed that there were 9,015 police reports on domestic violence. These statistics may not include reports received by NGOs and other support organisations.
According to JAG, Malaysia is a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and is – according to the 12th Malaysia Plan – committed to the goal of gender equality in all arenas.
More importantly, Malaysia has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council with the promise of prioritising the rights of vulnerable groups including children and women.
“However, a public statement against gender equality and promoting gender-based violence at the ministerial level is in direct contradiction to this,” lamented JAG.
“In calling for her resignation, we urge the Malaysian Government to take seriously its role on the Human Rights Council and the commitment to protect women and children in the country.” – Feb 14, 2022
