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Media Statement        
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Ipoh, Friday) : The Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Talib did not instantly reject the privilege motion under Standing Order 26(1)(p) when it was tabled by DAP MP for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan who had stood up in the Dewan Rakyat when it started its meeting yesterday at 10 am to refer the two sexist Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs for making crude, derogatory, sexist and offensive remarks directed at Po Kuan in particular and women in general. 

Instead, Ramli asked for time for him to announce his decision at 2.30 pm. 

This could only mean that Ramli was convinced of the strength and merit of Po Kuan’s complaint – which was indeed very serious with sexist MPs abusing their parliamentary privilege to denigrate a woman MP, which is also a slur to all Malaysian women – that he did not immediately dismiss Po Kuan’s application. 

It is both wrong and unfortunate that in the end, Ramli decided to “knock out” Po Kuan’s privilege motion on a ground of technicality, ignoring the substantive complaint and leaving  unresolved two issues: 

• The public dishonouring and humiliation of Po Kuan because she is a woman MP by two sexist BN MPs;
• The misuse and abuse of their parliamentary privilege to besmirch and dishonour Parliament in demeaning and degrading  the highest political and legislative chamber in the land to make crude, vulgar, sexist and offensive remarks.
• The insult not only to Po Kuan but to all Malaysian women, making this year’s Mother’s Day the most meaningless one,  when Parliament could be exploited  to make vulgar, derogatory and sexist remarks.

I am particularly disappointed that no woman BN MP had stood up in solidarity with Po Kuan and all Malaysian women who were insulted by the two sexist BN MPs. 

Is there not a single woman  BN  MPs who will stand up to speak up for women dignity and condemn the two sexist BN MPs for their derogatory, crude, sexist and offensive remarks about Fong Po Kuan? 

I have received information that international women groups are horrified by the disgraceful episode in Parliament yesterday and they will be making public their condemnation of the sexist misconduct of the two BN MPs. 

With 91% parliamentary majority of BN, there is no access to justice and fair play in Parliament. It is now left to ordinary Malaysians all over the country to redeem the honour of Parliament and dignity of women in Malaysia by speaking up to demonstrate support and solidarity with Po Kuan and condemnation of  the two sexist BN MPs for their derogatory and sexists remarks which insult all Malaysian women. 

Po Kuan announced in Parliament yesterday that she will be heading a DAP protest campaign  to make Malaysians aware of the injustices faced by women not only in the country but even in Parliament, and to mobilize national support both women and men to demand that the two sexist BN MPs should not be allowed to get away with their despicable conduct with impunity. 

The protest campaign will start in Po Kuan’s constituency in Batu Gajah on Sunday night. However, even before the start of the formal campaign on Sunday, DAP in Ipoh Timur will extend full pre-campaign support and solidarity to Po Kuan at the ceramah at the DAP Pasir Pinji Branch, Ipoh tomorrow (Saturday) night.

(11/5/2007)