"Wan Azizah Can't Be Selangor MB Because She Has A Menstrual Cycle"
According to an Umno lawyer, the natural cycle that every woman experiences is the reason why Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail should not be made Selangor Menteri Besar.
By Mei Mei Chu — 16 Jul 2014, 12:44 PM — Updated almost 10 years ago
Amidst Speculations That PKR President Wan Azizah May Replace Khalid Ibrahim As Selangor Menteri Besar (MB), An UMNO Lawyer Has Made A Controversial Remark About Her Qualifications
According To Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, Wan Azizah May Not Be MB Because Her Menstrual Cycle Would Prevent Her From Attending Religious Events With The Sultan
According To Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, Wan Azizah May Not Be MB Because Her Menstrual Cycle Would Prevent Her From Attending Religious Events With The Sultan
Image via blogspot.comThe menstrual cycle prevents PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail from becoming Selangor mentri besar as she cannot attend religious events during that time of the month, an Umno lawyer has suggested.
themalaymailonline.com
"A woman MB has to perform Islamic religious obligations with, or on behalf of, the Malay ruler and this will be an obstacle when she is having her period," he told The Malaysian Insider in response to a report in The New Straits Times today titled "Wan Azizah may not be MB" which has earned him much ridicule among social media users.
“This is because should a woman mentri besar suffer from ‘uzur syarie’ (period), there will be many obstacles for her to accompany the Sultan at religious functions,” Hafarizam was quoted as saying in a New Straits Times report today that cited him as a “constitutional expert”.
themalaymailonline.com
In Islam, a menstruating woman is considered “unclean”, and is prohibited from praying and reading Quran, among others. Most Islamic scholars also bar women from entering a mosque while menstruating.
themalaymailonline.com
The Constitutional Expert Explains This Is Why The MB Has Always Been A Man
Commenting on speculation that Dr Wan Azizah may be poised to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun said the mentri besar has always been male for this reason despite there being no specific clause excluding a woman from holding the post.
themalaymailonline.com
“Hence, the Article under the Selangor constitution for example may not hinder a woman from becoming a mentri besar, but by convention there could be problems due to the said circumstances.”
themalaymailonline.com
The Constitution Of The State Of Selangor 1959 States That The MB Must Be A Malay And Muslim, But Does Not Specify A Preferred Gender
The Constitution of the State of Selangor 1959 only requires the mentri besar to be a Malay and Muslim, but does not lay down conditions on the gender. Dr Wan Azizah, who is both a Malay and a Muslim, is also the state assemblyman for the Kajang constituency in Selangor, fulfilling the most important requirement.
themalaymailonline.com
Activists And Lawyers Have Slammed The Umno Lawyer's Statement As A Form Of Upholding Male Power As Bangladesh And Pakistan, Both Muslim Nations, Have Had Female Presidents
Activists and lawyers have come out in defence of PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, 61, over a statement that she could not be the Selangor Mentri Besar due to her menstrual cycle.
thestar.com.myWAO executive director Ivy Josiah said the statement was illogical as two predominantly Muslim nations, Bangladesh and Pakistan, have had female presidents and ministers. "Throughout the years to fight for women's rights - we were told that as women we can't go out of the house, go to school and be a leader. And misinterpretation of religion has been used to keep women down," said Josiah.
thestar.com.my"Malaysia has come a long way, for us to go back and say what was said, it is going backwards. As a women's rights activist, I can sense this as a form of upholding male privilege and power," Josiah told The Star Online.
thestar.com.myAdding That The View Goes Against The Federal Constitution Guaranteeing Equality For Women, Datuk Ambiga Says This Issue Is Not About Religion
Adding That The View Goes Against The Federal Constitution Guaranteeing Equality For Women, Datuk Ambiga Says This Issue Is Not About Religion
Image via globalbersih.orgSimilar views were shared by Negara-Ku coalition co-chair Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan who said such sexist views run contrary to Article 8 of the Federal Constitution that guarantees equality for women. "Many Muslim women are in leadership positions in countries that may be said to be more conservative than ours. Still, this is not about religion. It's about politics and to use religion in this manner to score a cheap political point is shocking," said Ambiga.
thestar.com.myThe former Bar Council president added that such comments "belong in the Dark Ages." "We welcome and encourage the participation of women in public life and so many women in leadership positions have acquitted themselves admirably. Such misogynistic views have no place in our society," said Ambiga.
thestar.com.myOn Twitter, Malaysians Are Appalled That A Country Which Prides Itself As A Progressive Islamic Nation Could Come Up With Such A Misogynistic Statement
A women's empowerment group, Empower, meanwhile, described the view as "misogynistic", saying it reflected "sexist prejudices and a patriarchal ideology which form the basis for discrimination against females in our society". It said both Hafarizam and Shamrahayu should immediately retract their statement and apologise.
themalaysianinsider.com
"Their sexist behaviour is not the Malaysian culture. It is also not for them to decide who will be the next menteri besar - it is for the people of Selangor to decide," said Empower president, Janarthani Arumugam.
themalaysianinsider.com
Frozenmazk wrote: "What a nonsense! I couldn't believe Malaysia which proud itself as a progressive Islamic nation (can) come up with this kind of statement. Even Indonesia and Pakistan have female President in the past."
themalaysianinsider.com
"What the hell. How on earth could this sexist statement come out from the mouth of a professional?" asked Twitter user QmoLoo.
themalaysianinsider.com
Khairy Jamaluddin Agrees That There Is Nothing Wrong With A Woman Becoming Menteri Besar, But Just Not Dr Wan Azizah
Khairy Jamaluddin Agrees That There Is Nothing Wrong With A Woman Becoming Menteri Besar, But Just Not Dr Wan Azizah
Image via kualalumpurpost.netKhairy Jamaluddin says a woman's menses should not be used as an excuse to deny her from becoming menteri besar or from taking up any other important positions.
themalaysianinsider.com
Khairy said a Menteri Besar’s duty was not to merely accompany rulers for events. “That’s not the only job of the Menteri Besar (to accompany sultans to events). “The Menteri Besar’s job is to run the state… that part of not being able to accompany rulers is a very small thing,” Khairy added.
therakyatpost.com
“That is Datuk Hafarizam’s personal view and I cannot speak on his behalf, but personally for me, there is nothing wrong with a woman being a Menteri Besar or Prime Minister, even. “To me, women are more qualified to be a Menteri Besar… just not that woman (Dr Wan Azizah),” he said, laughing.
therakyatpost.com