LEWD, crude and downright sexist or just a light-hearted moment?
Malaysian lawmakers do not have a sterling reputation as far as workplace conduct is concerned. Sexist and crude remarks are frequently lobbed in Parliament in the name of banter – or worse – legitimate language in debating the topics of the day.
Coincidentally the latest incident involved Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul who did not cover himself in glory when asking Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek to move the microphone closer to her mouth.
“Your voice sounds sexy when the mic is far away,” he quipped to the Nibong Tebal MP who is under immense public scrutiny from her alleged mishandling of the Zara Qairina Mahathir case.
In deflecting the remark, the minister reminded the speaker that, “my hubby is watching (the Dewan Rakyat proceeding) live”.
Saying “rapat sikit microphone, tak dengar seksi” to a female minister isn’t just a remark — what is it if not sexist?
It links her professional role with a physical and sexual connotation.
Imagine if this had been said by Opposition MPs — a six-month suspension would surely… pic.twitter.com/xtj4xz8mJl
— Ahmad Ikhwan (@a_ikhwan87) August 20, 2025
This highly unintellectual exchange was highlighted on X by Ahmad Ikhwan (@a_ikhwan87) who slammed the remark as “sexist”, arguing that it linked the Education Minister’s professional role to one that was dripping with “physical and sexual connotations”.
Unimpressed, the poster with an opposition slant was left further aghast at Fadhlina’s reply by labelling the PKR women’s wing chief as having gone from “bad to worse”.
“Imagine if this had been said by Opposition MPs – a six-month suspension would surely await,” snubbed the poster.
The post has already generated 1.1M views with quite a number of commenters voicing their displeasure at what they thought was inappropriate conduct by the nation’s lawmakers.
Some even wondered if this can be counted as sexual harassment.
Other commenters were also inclined to agree that if it were opposition MPs who spewed it, the fall-out would have been massive, especially on social media with the onslaught by pro-Madani cybertroopers.
One even went on to describe Johari’s remark as “disrespectful and misogynistic”.
Instead of pointing out that the Education Minister’s voice “sounded sexy”, one commenter suggested that perhaps it would have been better if the 70-year-old speaker had confessed “to being hard of hearing due to old age”.
The former Gurun state assemblyman in Kedah was also lambasted as being a politician of poor value and was not fit for the role.
The quality of debate and conduct was also mentioned with one commenter comparing Malaysian parliamentarians unfavourably with their Singaporean and Australian counterparts.
However, one commenter did NOT see a problem with Fadhlina’s reply on grounds that she was trying to defend herself, insinuating that the speaker’s remark was perhaps flirtatious, hence he was politely being reminded that her husband was watching the live session from home.
One commenter actually thought that the entire exchange was quite humourous, accusing the poster of lacking a funny bone.
Truth be told, there isn’t anything funny about such language being used in Parliament. It is demeaning to the MP in question as well as to the proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat.
By not normalising it, there is hope that such conduct can be expunged from high profile public spaces.
The sooner Malaysian legislators realise this is not a good look, the better. – Aug 22, 2025
Editor’s Note: Standing Orders 36(4) dictates that “it is an offence for members of this prestigious House to use profanity, vulgarity or sexist remarks in Dewan Rakyat”.
Image credit: The Star/YouTube; RTM
