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If these people can connect with the local folks – especially the women, Samy will have another problem on his hands. His remarks on women is coming back to haunt him, and other candidates as well.

JAG to lobby against sexist MPs

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By SHAILA KOSHY

KUALA LUMPUR: The Joint Action Group (JAG) for Gender Equality is campaigning against voting in sexist MPs and assemblymen. In the campaign that kicks off Sunday in Sungai Siput, JAG will invite all the three candidates for the parliamentary seat to endorse its position, said Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah.

Attending the press conference in Sungai Siput will be JAG members comprising the All Women’s Action Society, Pusat Jana Daya (Empower), Sisters In Islam, WAO and Women’s Centre for Change, Penang.

Asked why JAG had selected Sungai Siput as its campaign launch, Josiah: “The incumbent MP – Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu – is one of those who has made sexist remarks in Parliament.” “We are not targeting him specifically as we will be sending out our leaflets to other constituencies as well; Sungei Siput is just the launch pad.”

On the day, JAG members will distribute leaflets highlighting several sexist and discriminatory comments uttered by elected representatives, some of them repeat-offenders, from both the Barisan Nasional and the opposition in Parliament and in the Penang State Legislature since 2000.

The comments are divided into six sub-heads: Comments about women’s bodies and biological functions (leaks every month); comparison to inanimate objects (toilets); sexual innuendos and double entendres (men touch women not women’s issues); blaming women for sex crimes perpetrated by men (sexy dressing arouses men); patronising remarks on women being emotional and likening them to children (go home and suck on your pacifier); and deprecating remarks about women’s marital status (divorcees are randy).

Asked why JAG – which had lobbied for increased participation of women representatives in 2004 – had selected sexism as an election issue this time, Empower director Maria Chin Abdullah, said it was a continuation of JAG’s many protests against sexist MPs and assemblymen last year.

Mauriya says:

It is heartening to note that JAG is actively involved in the runup to the GE. I am no MCP and I fully appreciate what our women folk are doing. Those MPs whether ordinary MPs or Cabinet Ministers who are known to show utter disregard to women in general by their sexist remarks should be exposed to all voters especially women.

Women voters and also everyone who abhors sexism and utterances with vulgar connotations should go all out to get rid of such scum from Parliament and State Assemblies.

Those MCPs when bankrupt of ideas resort to such vulgarism to play to the audience which is predominently men. Now is the time to give them their just desserts!

Kudos for JAG and may their initiative bear fruit during the GE.

Posted on March 1st, 2008

Killer says:

Why target Samy when he never uttered sexists remarks ? Just because he is an Indian and under pressure currently ?

Hey ladies head to the East and campaign against those PAS morons.

BTW I don’t think these people are nuetral, these are Opposition-aligned groups, just using this “sexist remarks” issue as an excuse.

You want to change the state of women, there are plenty of work to do rather than wasting your time campaigning in elections.

Posted on March 1st, 2008