Women’s rights groups call for resignation of deputy minister over ‘soft but firm’ advice
PETALING JAYA (THE STAR) - The Malaysian government should take seriously its role on the Human Rights Council and the commitment to protect women and children in the country, says the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG).
This follows after Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff uploaded a two-minute video advising husbands to physically “touch” their wives in a “soft but firm” way to reprimand them which has raised eyebrows and drawn criticism online.
“Malaysia is a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and is, according to the 12th Malaysia Plan, committed to the goal of gender equality in all arenas.
“More importantly, Malaysia has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council with the promise of prioritising the rights of vulnerable groups including children and women.
“However, a public statement against gender equality and promoting gender-based violence at the ministerial level is in direct contradiction to this,” JAG said in a statement on Monday (Feb 14).
JAG also demanded for the resignation of Siti Zailah as the Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister for her statement in allegedly supporting domestic violence.
“A public statement against gender equality and promoting gender-based violence at the ministerial level is in direct contradiction to this.
“In a two-minute video released on social media, the deputy minister shared marital advice including recommending that husbands use a ‘gentle but firm physical touch’ on their wives.
“As a minister who is meant to uphold gender equality and the rights of women to protection and safety, this is abhorrent, denies women the right to equality, their right to dignity and to be free from degrading treatment.
“It is grossly mistaken and a demonstration of failed leadership,” it said.
JAG said Siti Zailah must step down for normalising domestic violence, which is a crime in Malaysia as well as for perpetuating ideas and behaviours that are opposed to gender equality.
“During the movement control order in 2020 and 2021 alone, there were 9,015 police reports on domestic violence; these statistics may not include reports received by NGOs and other support organisations.
“There is often a stigma and fear attached to reporting domestic violence and this is made worse by statements such as those of Siti Zailah,” it added.
JAG is a coalition of 14 women’s rights organisations in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak which includes the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Women’s Centre for Change (WCC Penang), KRYSS Network, Sisters in Islam (SIS), Sabah Women’s Action Resource Group (SAWO), Justice for Sisters, Association of Women Lawyers (AWL), Tenaganita and All Women’s Action Society (AWAM).
Siti Zailah, who is from PAS, had posted several videos on her social media accounts, on how husbands and wives can tell each other off about their behaviours.
In a video about how husbands can do so, Siti Zailah said for husbands, sometimes a wife does not cover her aurat (areas of her body that should be covered to protect her modesty) or does something that he does not like.
“It is the role of the husband to educate their wives, and the same goes the other way round, too.
“This is to apply a bit of pressure on her to show that he does not appreciate her behaviour.
She went on to say that if the wife refuses to change or did not follow discipline, "the husband can use a physical touch which is soft and seeks to educate".
“It is full of love, which is not painful but shows firmness that the behaviour should be changed,” she said.
Siti Zailah said similarly for wives, if their husbands refuse to listen to them after being told properly, the deputy minister urges them to pray to open their husbands’ hearts to such advice.
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