DEWAN Rakyat was adjourned for the day after a squabble over Baling MP Abdul Azeez Rahim’s snide remarks about another lawmaker’s skin colour. 

Kasthuriraani Patto (Batu Kawan-PH), who was the target of the comments, said the comments were also “an insult to women.

“YB Baling not only said I was dark, he also asked me to wear powder,” Kasthuriraani said. 

Kasthuriraani questioned the silence of the women MPs on the government bench, saying their failure to respond to the MP’s sexist tone could be interpreted as condonation.

The remarks were made in response to Kasthuriraani’s questioning of the absence of women in the select committee mooted by Law  Minister Takiyuddin Hassan. 

Interceding in the heated exchange, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer urged Azeez to retract his words as they were racist.  

Azeez said he took back his remarks, saying they were not directed at Kasthuriraani but at himself as he was “dark skinned.”

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim broke in with a request to the Speaker to not allow sexist remarks to be made in the House. 

Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman then asked if the powder remark was sexist. 

In defence of his colleague, Tanjung Karang MP Noh Omar said Azeez did not direct the comments at anyone, and that the Hansard should reflect that.

The  meeting was adjourned until tomorrow after MPs on both sides refused to calm down.

Later in the press conference, Azhar said he hoped never to hear sexist remarks uttered again in the House.

“I think we are all against sexist remarks. We are all against sexist acts. Of course, we do not condone any sexist acts, but whether that remark was sexist or not is open to interpretation at that time.

“But you know, things were a bit rowdy. In any event, I think the MP who did it quickly apologised, and he withdrew the remark. So that was it basically, but of course, in the future, I hope no sexist remarks will be uttered again in the Dewan Rakyat.” – July 13, 2020.