Worse democracy under your hubby, Puteri Umno chief tells Siti Hasmah

Puteri Umno chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin has taken aim at the purple march led by Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali against toxic politics on Sunday, saying their arguments were shallow and did not reflect the true situation of politics in Malaysia.

One of the points Mas Ermieyati took issue with, was Siti Hasmah's criticism of the slap on director David Teo.

Siti Hasmah, who is the wife of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was quoted as saying that in the past "no one would have been so easily slapped in public".

Mas Ermieyati (photo), however, said things were actually worse during Mahathir's time.

"Don't forget, when the Internal Security Act (ISA) still existed under her (Siti Hasmah's) husband, we can see how many had their mouths shut because they can't do anything as there was no fertile spirit of democracy," she said in a statement today.

"Do they (the protesters) want the ISA to be revived or to formulate a new law to deal with the 'toxic politics' agenda they're raising?" she added.

Siti Hasmah had on Sunday rallied some 1,000 purple-clad protesters - mostly women - to march in downtown Kuala Lumpur against toxic elements such as sexism, racism, and violence, in politics.

Mas Ermieyati, who is deputy tourism and culture minister, said the rally's message was just rhetoric, which the government had dealt with.

Among others, she said the government under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had strived to improve the state of democracy in Malaysia, including by abolishing the ISA.

She also questioned if the women-led march had forgotten the "bullying" and "insults" suffered by PKR's Penanti assemblyperson Dr Norlela Ariffin when she stood up for her constituents.

Norlela had recently come under criticism from Pakatan Harapan supporters for raising the issue of illegal factories in her constituency.

Her complaints had in part led to an MACC probe which saw DAP state exco member Phee Boh Poon arrested by the graft-busters.

"Matters like this are more embarrassing for women as a whole and should be dealt with first before representing Malaysians in making public protests," Mas Ermieyati said. - Mkini