KUCHING, Nov 22: Barisan Nasional (BN) Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Moktar Radin who had repeatedly uttered derogatory remarks against women should be dropped as a candidate in coming general elections, says PKR national women’s vice-president Voon Shiak Ni.
“As a sign of respect for women and to do a favour for women in this country, drop Bung Moktar Radin,” Voon urged BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
In a statement today, Voon referred to Bung Moktar as a ‘senseless sexist and a loose cannon in Parliament all these years’.
Voon said that an apology is not enough as he has been given a number of warnings to refrain from hurling sexists remarks in Parliament.
“By doing it again and again, it shows that he has no remorse and therefore he is not fit and not qualified to be a parliamentarian to represent the people where more than half of the voters are women.
Bung Moktar was reported to have said: “What is the problem in wearing a tudung? If she is a beautiful woman, even if she wears a tudung, she would still be beautiful. If she is not pretty, even if she is nude, who would want her?”
In 2007, the Dewan Rakyat found Bung Mokhtar guilty for his offensive remarks towards a female opposition MP that she ‘bocor setiap bulan’.
Then in 2011, Bung Mokhtar Radin said females are lousy drivers during a Parliament sitting.
In 2015, he continued to spout sexist remarks, this time directed at Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin while Zuriada was debating in the Dewan Rakyat. He tried to ridicule Zuraida by saying that Zuraida’s husband would be frightened of her at home if the situation was similar .
Voon noted that a protest by several women groups was held outside the Parliament complex calling for Bung to apologise for his sexist remarks after the incident.
She opined that everyone is entitled to their opinions and views but as a parliamentarian, hurling unfair discriminating sexists remarks against female MPs and women as a whole is totally unacceptable and barbaric.
Voon said that the nudity statement on women made by Bung last week in Parliament should be the last straw and he should be dropped from being nominated as a candidate in the 14th General Election (GE14). — DayakDaily
