Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong has criticised Selangor speaker Ng Suee Lim for censuring her for wearing “colourful” clothes during the state assembly yesterday.
Ng had done so after she attended the assembly in a white blazer.
Contacted by Malaysiakini today, Wong maintained that there was no ruling barring women from wearing light-coloured clothes and shared how she had donned the same jacket several times over the years with no issue.
She said the only rule was that female representatives needed to dress in a tertib(respectful) manner and be in a blazer.
“The speaker made his ruling at 1pm (yesterday), which is the exact time the Assembly adjourned. Which meant there was no room to question or debate the issue.
“(And) when I told the speaker the ‘colour code’ does not apply to women, and when I showed him the notice from his office, he said he made the ruling then and there,” she explained, while sharing a screenshot of the original notice.
The three-term assemblyperson also shared images of her wearing the same white blazer to the Selangor state assembly in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
“I have been regularly wearing it for many years, including this term (when Ng was the speaker).
“This should not be an issue.
“In this day and age, why is it men still have to determine how a woman legislator dresses?” she questioned, adding that she is mulling her response to the warning.
Wong had earlier taken to social networking platform Instagram to protest Ng’s warning.
“Today (yesterday) in the state assembly, instead of focusing on what was said, a male politician decided to focus on what I wore.
“How typical. #MalePoliticians,” she has posted alongside photograph of her speaking during the assembly.
Yesterday, Ng had said that representatives, regardless of gender, were only allowed to dress in black jackets.
“I’ve issued this warning before to both men and women when it comes to dress code. Both men and women must wear black jackets.
“Don’t wear something colourful like the honourable Bukit Lanjan (assemblyperson) today.
“It must be black. If not, I will take action. But I’m issuing my warning,” the speaker was quoted as saying in the Malay Mail.
A distraction from issues
Ng had later held a press conference saying that the August house was no place for a “fashion show”.
“We must respect this honourable assembly and the people are watching us. This is why we should follow the existing rules including the clothing etiquette.
“This is not a ‘fashion show’ where we wear different coloured coats (blazers) and clothes. This is the state assembly and we must respect it,” he had said.
Wong commented that the speaker’s focus on her dressing was a distraction from what she had said and other pertinent issues.
“His press conference on a petty issue (the colour of a woman's blazer) yesterday did a disservice to and distracted from the serious issues which we raised yesterday in the assembly.
“Yesterday morning, I spoke on the New Zealand terrorist attack, water pollution and law, forest conservation, women leadership in politics and domestic violence, economics, reforms in the Standing Orders, the need for government to spend more on the poor, welfare of service centre staff and Adun allocation,” she explained.
“Women politicians are already badly discriminated and marginalised in mainstream politics.
“We don't need this nonsense policing on the colour of our clothes to add to the list,” Wong added.
During the last state assembly sitting, Ng had warned Taman Templer assemblyperson Mohd Sany Hamzan for wearing a baju Melayu instead of a lounge suit. - Mkini
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