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Media Statement      
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Tokyo, Tuesday) : The Cabinet tomorrow must step in to make clear that the two sexist Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs, Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan)’s fake apologies are unacceptable and support civil society’s demand for six-month suspension as MP and community service with women groups as punishment for the duo, with parliamentary allowances for this period donated in their entirely to women organizations. 

It will be a most adverse reflection on the Cabinet and government if Cabinet Ministers endorse the fake apologies by the duo, including accepting the report of the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who had clearly failed to stand up for gender respect, sensitivity and equality in her eagerness to resolve the controversy – even if it was in the form of fake, insincere and dishonest “apologies”. 

If Shahrizat had not realized that she had been bamboozled by the two BN MPs with their fake apologies, she should have realized it by now in the face of very critical and even hostile public comments at her failure to do justice to repair the grave wrong done in Parliament by the sexism of the two BN MPs – bringing shame and dishonour to DAP MP for Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan, Malaysian women, Parliament and the nation’s international reputation – as well as women in ASEAN and the world! 

In the mishandling of the latest instance of sexist and male-chauvinist outbursts by the two BN MPs in Parliament, Shahrizat is becoming an even bigger issue than Mohd Said and Bung Mohtar. 

Shahrizat has still got a final chance to make amends to redeem her respect among Malaysian and global women – by being frank with the Cabinet that the issue is becoming even bigger because of the fake apologies of the two errant BN MPs, and asking the Cabinet to step in tomorrow to reject the fake apologies and support civil society’s demand for six-month suspension as MP and community service with women groups as punishment for the duo.                   

(22/5/2007)