Women's minister Najib bags 'sexist' award

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is named as one of the six winners at the annual ‘sexist’ awards today, bagging the “insulting intelligence” category by a ‘landslide victory’.

This was over his claim in October last year as the then-women’s minister that “There is no need for a women’s rights movement in Malaysia because equality has been given from the start.”

Announcing the award winners in stand-up comedy style, Miss Ribena Berry added, “He (Najib) said that is why in Malaysia, it is the men who is the endangered species.

“I know some of the men in parliament are like orang utan, but they are not endangered, you know?”

Ribena Berry (left), which is the stage name for the playwright Jo Kukathas, also chastised Najib for not knowing his facts and pointed out Malaysia is ranked 100 out of 135 in the 2012 Global Gender Gap Report.

She said Najib had won the award by a ‘landslide’, but did not disclose the number of votes he garnered.

The award, dubbed “Aiyoh… What Lah?! Awards”, is an initiative by the coalition of women’s rights NGOs Joint Action Group on Gender Equality (JAG).

It is meant raise awareness on what constitutes sexism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia by highlighting such instances in public discourse.

Besides the six ‘sexist’ awards, there is also a “On the right track” award to highlight efforts to curb such discrimination.

Of these, then-deputy education minister Mohd Puad Zarkashi is the most-nominated person for the awards for his attacks against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual community (LGBT), including officially launching an infamous ‘guideline’ to identify homosexuals, and likening the Pakatan Rakyat coalition as a “gay marriage”.

However, he did not win any awards, of which two nominations were in the “Enough Already!” category, and one is in the “Insulting Intelligence” category.

[More to follow]