PARLIAMENT | Opposition lawmakers were up in arms today after Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) attempted to deny that he was sexist, which triggered further accusations that he was exactly that.
This was after Tajuddin contended that he was a defender of women while accusing DAP women MPs of being foul-mouthed as the Dewan Rakyat was debating the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill.
Teo Nie Ching (Pakatan Harapan-Kulai) yesterday named the Umno lawmaker as well as Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) and Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling) as repeat offenders of sexist remarks.
The Pasir Salak MP retorted that the trio were unfairly targeted and that their critics did not know how much they do for women.
"They don't know who the three of us are, how we defend women's dignity, help women.
"You don't know how we treat our women, you can ask Wanita Umno how (we treat them).
"Who we have a problem with are several DAP women, who have inappropriate behaviour, and are foul-mouthed," he said.
Tajuddin also claimed that their (three aforementioned Umno men) election victories were because most women supported them.
He said this after raising a standing order demanding Teo retract her accusations.
His remarks immediately caused opposition MPs to fight back, and demand that he retract his words.
However, Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon asked neither side to make retractions and ruled for the House to continue debating the bill instead.
Rashid's inaction prompted further protests, with Kasthuri Patto (Harapan-Batu Kawan) and Hannah Yeoh (Harapan-Segambut) asking why the deputy speaker was practising double standards.
They pointed out separately, that if an opposition MP had made similar remarks, they would have been punished, but when an Umno man does the same he gets away with it.
In a tweet later, Kasthuri alleged that Tajuddin had also uttered a vulgar slang twice while his microphone was turned off, which several MPs heard, but the Pasir Salak MP was only given a warning.
Known behaviour
This was not Tajuddin's first time triggering backlash over sexist remarks in the Lower House.
In 2016, he infamously remarked that Teresa Kok (Harapan-Seputeh) was the only woman with a Kok, a play on the phonetically similar slang word referring to male genitalia.
Tajuddin has never apologised for that incident, insisting that he was just referring to her name.
Instead, he had said that while Kok was upset with him, all women in Pasir Salak, young and old, loved him.
In a statement later, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy Group condemned Tajuddin's behaviour and called for disciplinary action against him.
"We call on the speaker and deputy speaker of the House to take strict disciplinary measures and make the necessary ruling against Pasir Salak.
"Such shameful conduct has no place in Parliament, let alone while debating a bill which is intended to protect those facing sexual harassment," it said. - Mkini
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