Ibrahim Ali should apologise for his sexist remark and submit himself to gender sensitivity training

(Chinese translation below)

Press statement by Teresa Kok, Selangor State Senior EXCO and Member of Parliament for Seputeh in Miri on 8 April 2011

Ibrahim Ali should apologise for his sexist remark and submit himself to gender sensitivity training

Just when we thought Ibrahim Ali, Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas, could not get any more offensive, he sinks to a new low with his sexist remark that the high occurrence of extramarital affairs is the fault of “wives who neglect their responsibilities” to their husbands.

During yesterday’s Dewan Rakyat sitting, Ibrahim Ali is reported to have said,“There are times when husbands have urges (ada keinginan)… but when they come home to their wives, they will say, ‘wait, I’m cooking’, or ‘wait, I’m getting ready to visit relatives.… Wives are supposed to stop everything to fulfil their husbands’ demands… Husbands driving home after work see things that are sexually arousing (menaikan semangat) and go to their wives to ease their urges (semangat)… So much so there are husbands who go to private places (tempat-tempat yang sulit) to satisfy their urges… this is why I want a proper explanation as to whether wives understand their roles.”

Ibrahim’s statement reveals his deep-seated sexism which is most disgraceful for an MP. From his statement, it is clear that he has a very low opinion of women. He expects women to present their bodies to their husbands on demand, regardless of how the women may feel, as though women are meant to be unfeeling sex slaves. He is completely insensitive to women’s right to choice what to do or not do with their bodies.

I remind Ibrahim Ali that sexual intercourse that takes place with an unwilling or coerced participant, even between a husband and a wife, is a form of sexual violence and that violence against women (and men) is a crime. It’s sexist MPs like Ibrahim Ali’s that perpetuate the subordination of women by men, and stand in the way of enacting laws which protect and uphold the dignity of women.

Ibrahim Ali would do well to remember that half of his constituency consists of women. He cannot represent the interests of the women as an MP when he has such a low opinion of women.

Furthermore, Ibrahim Ali’s remarks are not only demeaning to women but also to men. He makes out men to be completely lacking in self-control, as though men were animals. He even excuses them for committing adultery which is a most hurtful act of betrayal.

I condemn Ibrahim Ali’s remarks unreservedly and urge him to apologise for his sexist remarks and submit himself to gender sensitivity training so that he will not make such mistakes again. If he refuses to do so, I urge the Parliamentary Gender Caucus to reprimand Ibrahim Ali and send a strong message to the public that the Dewan Rakyat does not tolerate such sexist remarks.

Teresa Kok

 

雪州高级行政议员，士布爹区国会议员及行动党妇女组秘书郭素沁2011年4月8日发表声明。

巴西马区（Pasir Mas）国会议员依布拉欣阿里，应对他侮辱女性和性别歧视的言论公开作出道歉。

正当我们以为依布拉欣不会再发表侮辱女性和歧视女性的言论时，他竟然一而再，再而三地作出同样的言论。他表示目前社会出现许多婚外情，都是因为“妻子漠视对丈夫的义务，才会导致丈夫在外面偷腥。”

他在国会还说：“有时候，当丈夫有生理需求时…但当他们回到家时，妻子会说‘等等，我在做饭’ ，或‘等等，我要去拜访亲戚’。….妻子是应该停止一切家务和履行其丈夫的要求…丈夫下班回家后所会产生性欲并转移到他们的妻子，以纾缓他们性需求….所以才有这么多的丈夫去私人色情场所，以满足他们的性需求…这就是为什么我想让身为妻子的女性应该了解自己本身所扮演的角色。”

依布拉欣的言论对身为女性来说是极度地侮辱。最可耻的是他身为人民代议士，竟然发表如此侮辱和性别歧视的言论；从他的言论中，很明显地看出他对女性的歧视。

他认为当丈夫有性需求时，妻子应该用身体去满足丈夫，这只会让妻子觉得自己只是丈夫的性奴隶，他完全地忽视了女性的权力和地位。

我想提醒依布拉欣阿里，进行性行为时必须是在双方你情我愿的情况下，而不是在被迫的情况下进行，即使是丈夫与妻子也不行，强迫进行性行为是性暴力的形式，对妇女（和男人）来说都是一种暴力犯罪。

因为有依布拉欣阿里如此强烈性别歧视的国会议员，我们才需要法律来保护和维护妇女的人权和尊严。

依布拉欣发表这种含有侮辱女性的言论前，应先三思。他的选区有一半是女性，像他如此歧视女性的人，根本没有资格成为人民代议士。

此外，依布拉欣的言论不仅贬低女性，也间接地贬低男性。他把男性比喻成缺乏自我控制，好像男人是动物。

我严厉谴责依布拉欣阿里的言论，并敦促他应对他性别歧视的言论作出道歉；我也劝他应积极地参加任何关于性别平等的培训，以便他不会再犯这样的错误。

如果依布拉欣拒绝作出道歉，我会向国会申诉依布拉欣阿里，并告知全国人民他性别歧视，国会绝对不会容忍这种性别歧视的言论。

郭素沁