POLITICAL blog Sarawak Report did Malaysia a favour in recent times to correct global perception that the views expressed by of Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, who has been accused of normalising domestic abuse, is that of her own and not reflective of the actual situation in Malaysia.
Perhaps one has to first understand the “melting pot” concept to delve into how Malaysian female politicians can come out with the darnedest methods to remedy family violence, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the family institution in more ways than one.
The prevailing ethnical, cultural and faith/belief system diversity is obviously reflected in the contrasting strategies that these leaders moot to address the issue of family violence.
In the case of Siti Zailah, her political inkling as the PAS’ women chief (Dewan Muslimat PAS), her ustazah accolade as well as her religious upbringing would probably have voluminous impact in what the world ridicules as an ‘extremist’ proposal.
Perhaps, the orthodox-sounding tone of her opinion that husbands should sleep separately from their wives for three days if the women do not change their ‘unruly’ behaviour – and that the male partner beat their wives “gently” should she fail to change her way – may resonate with old school Muslim couples (though Sisters in Islam begs to differ).
This is not the first time Siti Zailah is engaged in a controversy. When she was first appointed to her current portfolio in March 2020, she brought up the question of Shariah-compliant Malaysia Airlines attire at a time when airline staff were likely facing job cuts.
For her out-of-place proposal, she faced backlash from the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia and from both the public and former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
Contrast Siti Zailah’s so-called “gentle” approach with that mooted by Wanita MCA’s president Datuk Heng Seai Kie (bearing in mind that Malaysian Chinese women are deemed to be more aggressive than their Malay counterparts).
In March last year, Heng proposed the idea of an online karate course aimed at empowering women, discouraging domestic abuse and crime prevention.
Regardless if such proposal is genuine or only intended to seek publicity, Wanita MCA said it would collaborate with the Malaysian Karate Association and Malaysia Chinese Women Entrepreneur Association to run the “Karate Defence and Self Protect” training course from March 12 to 20, 2021.
Heng who was herself a former Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister went on to joke that women should not injure their husbands with their martial art skills or risk damaging their relationship.
“A wife may have earlier fought (the husband) during the day time or evening, but at night, when they turn in to the bedroom, there usually is a happy ending,” she quipped. “We do not want either spouse to have regrets or feel bad in the future, and then come to us to resolve their woes after any incident earlier in the day.”
Say what maybe, neither Siti Zailah nor Heng can match the amount of backlash and brickbats levelled at current Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun (Siti Zailah’s superior) with her “Doraemon voice” antic.
Recall that in late March 2020, the ministry through two campaign posters shared on its social media platforms suggested that working mums don their office attire complete with heels, make-up and accessories while working from home.
To avoid conflict with their spouses, the ministry further advised women not to nag but instead imitate the voice of Japanese cartoon character Doraemon followed by a flirty giggle to convey the message to their spouse on the correct way to hang clothes. – Feb 19, 2022
