Wanita MCA out to stop sexism

The Star News : Monday February 16, 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita MCA will go all out to stop sexist remarks about women from being used in Parliament, state assemblies and local councils, wing chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said.

She said the wing would meet Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia on Feb 23 over the matter.

“We hope to meet with Senate President Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh on the same day,” Chew told a press conference at Wisma MCA yesterday.

She had earlier chaired the wing’s central committee meeting.

Chew said the meeting with Pandikar Amin was the result of a memorandum the Wanita MCA sent to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz on Jan 15.

Among others, the memorandum called for the suspension of between two and six months without pay or allowances for elected members who fail to adhere to the prohibition on the use of sexist language and behaviour.

It also called for heavier penalties for repeat offenders and for elected representatives to attend gender sensitisation courses.

At yesterday’s committee meeting, it was decided that similar memorandums would be handed over to all state assemblies and local councils.

The memorandums would be sent by state Wanita MCA wings.

“We hope women are respected at all levels – right from top to bottom,” she said.

Chew said the wing received positive feedback after submitting the memorandum to Nazri.

Nazri had warned that Barisan Nasional elected representatives, particularly those from Umno, who uttered sexist remarks and behaved in an unparliamentary manner, would be “sacrificed” in the next general election.

On the upcoming by-elections, Chew said her deputy Datuk Yu Chok Tow has been picked as the coordinator.