PAKATAN Harapan leaders, namely those from its parties’ women’s wings in Penang, have urged police to investigate a video showing a woman assaulted by a man for not wearing a headscarf.

DAP Wanita national assistant publicity secretary Syerleena Abdul Rashid said the incident must not be taken lightly, and that the act of causing harm to another person should never be allowed.

“This random act of violence is not as random as one might think. It solely targeted women perceived to be different than what is now considered the norm.

“Both misogyny and patriarchy have thwarted our nation’s ability to progress. Both these hateful elements are causing our regression,” she said after lodging a police report over the video.

The video had gone viral earlier this month and was even picked up by overseas media.

UK news site Daily Mail ran a story on the video on January 11.

The video shows a man scolding women at a bus stop in Penang, asking one of them about her religion and why she was not wearing a headscarf.

The woman replied that it was her right to choose not to wear it. Her answer earned her a slap across the face.

Local website The Reporter said the incident took place in Bukit Jambul, Bayan Baru, and the victim was believed to be a foreigner.

Northeast district police told The Malaysian Insight earlier last week that they had not received any report over the incident.

Syerleena, who is also state DAP Wanita political education director, said as such, she decided to lodge a report today so that police could begin investigating the matter.

She said she hoped the other women who witnessed the incident would come forward and assist in the investigations.

“We now live in a society that is determined to silence our voices, brush off our choices and mute our opinions.

“Bigotry, discrimination and physical violence are realities that women are forced to accept, but there is a growing number of women who understand that fear is not something we have to live with,” said the Penang Island City councillor.

Present with Syerleena today were Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh Deo and DAP’s Baru Kawan MP P. Kasthuriraani, as well as state leaders from the PKR, Amanah and Bersatu women’s wings.

Ramkarpal, a lawyer, said it was not necessary to have police reports lodged for investigations to be carried out.

“If you see someone murdered on the street and nobody lodges a report, it would be absurd to suggest that it will not be investigated.

“Normally, in such situations, police will themselves lodge the report,” he said, adding that the very fact that a report had not been lodged by police over the video raised eyebrows.

He said it was appalling for such an act, committed publicly, to have happened in 2018, and for it to go unpunished.

“The fact that such a mentality still exists is a travesty. As far as the video is concerned, it is quite obvious that an offence has been committed.

“The motive behind it is a separate matter that is up to police to investigate. But an assault had taken place, which is an offence under various sections of the Penal Code.”

Ramkarpal said provisions under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act might be relevant in the case.

He advised women to immediately lodge reports when such incidents took place.

“You must bring it to light. Otherwise, it will not be investigate and will continue happening in the future, like the many cases of domestic violence that go unreported.

“The woman in the video should come forward. Don’t be afraid because there are people out there willing to support and help you.”

Kasthuriraani said inaction would encourage others to commit similar acts, when women were already exposed to various threats to their safety, as well as harassment.

“We hope police will move fast and treat this as a national issue, and not a small case in Penang.

“Take it as a moral duty to ensure that this (culprit) will not continue to be a threat. Someone had posted online that this guy is notorious. He has done such things before.

“For future incidents, police shouldn’t wait for reports to be lodged. There have been instances where police have taken action without waiting for reports.”

Amanah women’s wing chief Aida Yusof Rawa said Islam did not compel women to wear headscarves.

“If a person is not ready to wear it, that is between the person and Allah.

“As Muslims, we have a duty to remind her to wear it, but we must do it nicely, not scold her and call her a sinner. We cannot force her.” – January 19, 2018.