As a child of a double-income household without domestic help, I spent a sizeable amount of my childhood at my grandmother's place.
Through P Ramlee movies, World Wrestling Federation episodes and tea time 'azan' biscuits, I collected fond memories of my grandmother and hold all grandmothers in high esteem.
But when I read that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng called state opposition leader Jahara Hamid a "racist grandmother", I couldn't help but felt terribly insulted on her behalf.
To be fair to Lim, let's review his remarks in the context in which it was said.
"I always thought of Jahara as a typical grandmother but now she has become an unreasonable and racist grandmother," Lim had said at a press conference in the assembly building.
He had said this because Jahara had accused the Penang government of selective enforcement against illegal businesses, based on race.
She had also questioned the state for allegedly changing the name of Pulau Jerejak to Mazu Island in honour of a Chinese goddess in a temple built there.
Lim and co have denied these claims, and were fuming about her seeming racist allegations.
Okay, but what does her age, gender or the fact that she has a grandchildren (or not?) got to do with her raising questions in her capacity of an opposition leader?
The word "grandmother", as many readers have pointed out so eloquently in their stout defence of the DAP secretary-general, is not in itself an offensive word.
Grandmother, they say, means loving, kind, generous, compassionate, etc, etc, and truly how could I disagree.
But what does it mean when you call an opposition leader - someone who Pakatan Rakyat has repeatedly said has the same stature as a minister - a "typical grandmother"?
And what does it mean when you call them a typical grandmother while you are criticising them?
Does Lim mean that because she's just a "typical grandmother" then anything she says is not to be taken seriously? That he had only given her face out of respect for the elder, but generally take her as a nag or as telling "grandmother stories"?
What sort of connotation does it have on her competence? Is she assumed to be less competent because she's a middle-aged woman?
No grandpa remarks however
In any case, when was the last time a male politician - many of whom spew a lot of silly remarks, some equally racist while others just downright stupid - was defined by his gender?
When was the last time you heard a male politician - many old enough to have a legion of grandkids - talked down by being called an "atuk", or in the case of Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) lecturer Ridhuan Tee Abdullah vs Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, aspinster?
(Of course, the fact that there is no term equivalent to spinster for males is equally enraging but that is a story for another day. Ridhuan's remark, by the way, is just downright sexist it requires no lengthy discussion.)
Let's be honest about things.
If she made a racist remark, then call her a racist, but by calling her a "grandmother" for spice, by saying that he viewed Jahara as a "typical grandmother", Lim is saying that he does not respect her as an equal opponent, and worse still, does not respect her office.
Is the office of the opposition leader only something to be respected if it is occupied by Anwar Ibrahim?
Through P Ramlee movies, World Wrestling Federation episodes and tea time 'azan' biscuits, I collected fond memories of my grandmother and hold all grandmothers in high esteem.
But when I read that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng called state opposition leader Jahara Hamid a "racist grandmother", I couldn't help but felt terribly insulted on her behalf.
To be fair to Lim, let's review his remarks in the context in which it was said.
"I always thought of Jahara as a typical grandmother but now she has become an unreasonable and racist grandmother," Lim had said at a press conference in the assembly building.
He had said this because Jahara had accused the Penang government of selective enforcement against illegal businesses, based on race.She had also questioned the state for allegedly changing the name of Pulau Jerejak to Mazu Island in honour of a Chinese goddess in a temple built there.
Lim and co have denied these claims, and were fuming about her seeming racist allegations.
Okay, but what does her age, gender or the fact that she has a grandchildren (or not?) got to do with her raising questions in her capacity of an opposition leader?
The word "grandmother", as many readers have pointed out so eloquently in their stout defence of the DAP secretary-general, is not in itself an offensive word.
Grandmother, they say, means loving, kind, generous, compassionate, etc, etc, and truly how could I disagree.
But what does it mean when you call an opposition leader - someone who Pakatan Rakyat has repeatedly said has the same stature as a minister - a "typical grandmother"?
And what does it mean when you call them a typical grandmother while you are criticising them?
Does Lim mean that because she's just a "typical grandmother" then anything she says is not to be taken seriously? That he had only given her face out of respect for the elder, but generally take her as a nag or as telling "grandmother stories"?
What sort of connotation does it have on her competence? Is she assumed to be less competent because she's a middle-aged woman?
No grandpa remarks however
In any case, when was the last time a male politician - many of whom spew a lot of silly remarks, some equally racist while others just downright stupid - was defined by his gender?
When was the last time you heard a male politician - many old enough to have a legion of grandkids - talked down by being called an "atuk", or in the case of Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) lecturer Ridhuan Tee Abdullah vs Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, aspinster?
(Of course, the fact that there is no term equivalent to spinster for males is equally enraging but that is a story for another day. Ridhuan's remark, by the way, is just downright sexist it requires no lengthy discussion.)
Let's be honest about things.
If she made a racist remark, then call her a racist, but by calling her a "grandmother" for spice, by saying that he viewed Jahara as a "typical grandmother", Lim is saying that he does not respect her as an equal opponent, and worse still, does not respect her office.
Is the office of the opposition leader only something to be respected if it is occupied by Anwar Ibrahim?
AIDILA RAZAK is a member of the Malaysiakini team. She would like to point out that sexist remarks include, but are not limited to, comments on menstruation.
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