Rosmah is not women’s right symbol

DAP attacked the Prime Minister's wife's perception that she was a symbol of women's rights in the international arena.

KUALA LUMPUR: Rosmah Mansor, the self-styled First Lady of Malaysia’s status as a crusader for women’s rights came into question today.

DAP-Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng told the House that she had reservations of Rosmah’s abilities as a women’s rights activist.

“Is it because of her status as the Prime Minister’s wife, that she was invited (to functions) or is she in her own right, a representative of women’s rights?” she asked.

“I want to know if the government has no one else other than Rosmah who can represent Malaysia as a voice for women’s rights.”

Chong Eng had asked this as a follow-up to a question raised by BN-Libaran MP Juslie Ajirol.

Juslie asked about the international perception on the Prime Minister’s wife, and about her active participation in several global forums on women’s rights and other matters.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz however scoffed at the DAP MP’s comments.

“This is a backwards woman (wanita tak maju),” he said in a mocking tone. “She (Rosmah) is a woman, and now a woman (Chong) wants to dispute her.”

Nazri stood behind the PM’s wife as a voice of women’s rights, adding that Rosmah had worked towards those concepts.

“She is acting as the PM’s wife, so the work that she does, if she talks about women’s rights (…) she was invited (to attend them),” he said.

Speaking later to FMT, Chong Eng did not seem satisfied with Nazri’s response.

The DAP MP said that Rosmah’s participation in the international arena was not enough, and that she could have done more in her position as the PM’s wife.

“Speeches are not good enough. They are only (catered) for the audience in that particular function.”

“If she was for women’s rights, she should have pushed for gender mainstreaming, gender equality and more allocation (against) sexual based crimes,” Chong Eng said.

She also said that Rosmah appeared to be more interested in glamour, than on social work and charity.