Umno legal adviser Mohd Hafarizam Harun's remark that PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail cannot become menteri besar due to her menses has sparked a storm on Twitter, with netizens pouring scorn on the lawyer.
"A stupid, disgusting and demeaning remark," said PKR's Padang Serai MP N Surendran, who is also a lawyer.
Human rights lawyer Syahredzan Johan responded: "Can't believe that Umno's legal adviser actually said that menses prevents a woman from becoming menteri besar. Atrocious!".
Women's rights activist Jo Kukathas, said: "Why can't a woman be menteri besar? In fact why must a menteri besar only be Malay Muslim? The role of the MB is to govern. All other duties are ceremonial."
Mohd Hafarizam (left) was quoted in Umno-linked News Straits Times today as saying that Wan Azizah was not suited to be Selangor menteri besar as she cannot accompany the state sultan during her menstrual period.
Some netizens decided to entertain Mohd Hafarizam's assertion, pointing at Wan Azizah's advanced age.
'What about menopause?'
"According to Hafarizam's logic, women after menopause shouldn't have any obstacle to be Selangor menteri besar, no?" said PKR's Teja assemblyperson Chang Lih Kang.
PKR senator Syed Husin Ali too weighed into the matter, saying: "That Umno lawyer who is also a director of the company that is to build Kidex (Kinrara-Damansara Expressway), is he anti-women or (against) Wan Azizah from becoming menteri besar?
"Menses is not a problem. Can send a representative and some women have also stopped (from having menses)," he added.
BN politicians too appeared taken aback by Mohd Hafarizam's comments.
"I don't agree to her husband (possibly) becoming prime minister (Anwar Ibrahim) while his wife becoming menteri besar.
"But don't ever say his wife should not be MB simply because (of) her period!," said Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang.
'Discrimination against women'
Umno's former Temerloh MP Saifuddin Abdullah said: "If Pakatan Rakyat chooses Dr Wan Azizah as menteri besar and (the people of) Selangor and the sultan accept her, she will be menteri besar. The issue of menses does not arise."
Meanwhile, women's rights group Empower said in a statement this afternoon that it was shocked by Hafarizam's comments, describing them as "sexist, distasteful and disrespectful".
"His misogynistic comment extends to dehumanising Dr Wan Azizah as being "unclean", not able to sit together with the sultan, and not being able to pray and read the Quran, among others, just because she is a woman and with menses.
"Even worse, his statement was concurred with by Dr Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz, a lecturer from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA), who further added fuel to the sexism by saying that perhaps Selangor is not ready for a female menteri besar," Empower president A Janarthani (left) said.
Janarthani said regardless of whether Wan Azizah becomes menteri besar or not, she should not be discriminated on biological grounds and pointed out that neither the state nor the federal constitution discriminate along biological lines for the position.
"Making such misogynistic comments reflects sexist prejudices and a patriarchal ideology that forms the basis for discrimination against females in our society," she said.
"A stupid, disgusting and demeaning remark," said PKR's Padang Serai MP N Surendran, who is also a lawyer.
Human rights lawyer Syahredzan Johan responded: "Can't believe that Umno's legal adviser actually said that menses prevents a woman from becoming menteri besar. Atrocious!".
Women's rights activist Jo Kukathas, said: "Why can't a woman be menteri besar? In fact why must a menteri besar only be Malay Muslim? The role of the MB is to govern. All other duties are ceremonial."Mohd Hafarizam (left) was quoted in Umno-linked News Straits Times today as saying that Wan Azizah was not suited to be Selangor menteri besar as she cannot accompany the state sultan during her menstrual period.
Some netizens decided to entertain Mohd Hafarizam's assertion, pointing at Wan Azizah's advanced age.
'What about menopause?'
"According to Hafarizam's logic, women after menopause shouldn't have any obstacle to be Selangor menteri besar, no?" said PKR's Teja assemblyperson Chang Lih Kang.
PKR senator Syed Husin Ali too weighed into the matter, saying: "That Umno lawyer who is also a director of the company that is to build Kidex (Kinrara-Damansara Expressway), is he anti-women or (against) Wan Azizah from becoming menteri besar?
"Menses is not a problem. Can send a representative and some women have also stopped (from having menses)," he added.
BN politicians too appeared taken aback by Mohd Hafarizam's comments.
"I don't agree to her husband (possibly) becoming prime minister (Anwar Ibrahim) while his wife becoming menteri besar.
"But don't ever say his wife should not be MB simply because (of) her period!," said Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang.
'Discrimination against women'
Umno's former Temerloh MP Saifuddin Abdullah said: "If Pakatan Rakyat chooses Dr Wan Azizah as menteri besar and (the people of) Selangor and the sultan accept her, she will be menteri besar. The issue of menses does not arise."
Meanwhile, women's rights group Empower said in a statement this afternoon that it was shocked by Hafarizam's comments, describing them as "sexist, distasteful and disrespectful".
"His misogynistic comment extends to dehumanising Dr Wan Azizah as being "unclean", not able to sit together with the sultan, and not being able to pray and read the Quran, among others, just because she is a woman and with menses.
"Even worse, his statement was concurred with by Dr Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz, a lecturer from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA), who further added fuel to the sexism by saying that perhaps Selangor is not ready for a female menteri besar," Empower president A Janarthani (left) said.Janarthani said regardless of whether Wan Azizah becomes menteri besar or not, she should not be discriminated on biological grounds and pointed out that neither the state nor the federal constitution discriminate along biological lines for the position.
"Making such misogynistic comments reflects sexist prejudices and a patriarchal ideology that forms the basis for discrimination against females in our society," she said.
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