PENANG assembly speaker Law Choo Kiang today ejected representatives from DAP and Umno from the House when they argued over allegedly sexist remarks on women.

RSN Rayer (DAP-Seri Delima) and Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah (BN-Teluk Bahang) were ordered to leave the House after they failed to quiet down when ordered by the speaker.

The row erupted when Rayer criticised Barisan Nasional for making inappropriate remarks about women, which prompted Shah Headan to defend his party. 

When both representatives continued their shouting match despite being told to sit down and allow Mohd Salleh Man (Pas-Permatang Pasir) to continue his debate on the Penang governor’s speech, Law told the duo to leave the House.

“Both of you leave the House. You are disrupting the sitting. The rest of you (other members of the House), remain quiet.

“Seri Delima and Teluk Bahang, you are ejected for the rest of the day…please leave the House,” he said.

Opposition leader Jahara Hamad (BN-Teluk Air Tawar) protested on behalf of Shah Headan, questioning why her colleague was also ejected with Rayer.

“Because both had failed to obey the speaker’s instructions,” Law said.

Rayer told the press outside the House that he had commented that BN had demeaned women and made uncalled for remarks.

He said he was referring to Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who reportedly said at a Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) dialogue session last week that women should dress shabbily to avoid public harassment.

“I also referred to Shabudin,” he said, referring to BN’s Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahaya, who reportedly said in the Dewan Rakyat recently that rape victims should marry their rapists to prevent social problems.

Shabudin had later said his comment was taken out of context.

Shah Headan said the speaker had been unfair for ejecting him.

“I never used bad words in the House. It is not fair for the speaker to treat me like this,” he sad at the assembly building’s banquet hall.

He said Rayer had accused BN of treating women like sex objects, which was rude and unfair.

“We also have mothers, wives and daughters, as well as women voters. How can he speak like that?” he said.

Shah Headan said there were more important issues the House should discuss, such as foreign workers and floods.

“If he tries to drag the federal government into such problems in Penang, I am okay with that. But why talk about Shabudin?”

It was reported that Pakatan Harapan would table a motion to censure Shabudin over his earlier remark. – May 22, 2017.