By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani , Malaysian Insider
May 09-2010
KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders said today that Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should apologise after the Home Minister said that street crime in Malaysia was exaggerated by idle chatter of women while at the hairdressers.
The lawmakers agreed that the Umno vice-president’s statement was insensitive and irresponsible.
Last night, Hishammuddin told students at the Malaysian Students Department in London that “chit-chat” among women has exaggerated the level of street crime in the country and caused fear among the public.
“Most victims are women. What do women do? They go to the hairdressers … they chit-chat and suddenly it is everywhere and cause people to fear,” Hishammuddin said.
DAP’s Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang was outraged that Hishammuddin would blame women especially on Mother’s Day.
“I am also flabbergasted and outraged that Hishammuddin could be so irresponsible as to blame Malaysian women on Mother’s Day for the exaggeration of the endemic crime situation in the country.
“Hishammuddin should apologise for his insult to Malaysian women on Mother’s Day and blaming women’s chattering for exaggerating the crime problem and demonizing the police,” he said in a press statement.
PKR’s Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said the minister’s statement was an insult to women in the country.
“It really is very gender insensitive and again it is finger pointing by no other than a top minister. It showcases that government is at a loss of the real issue which is the problem of trigger happy police and structural reforms that needs to be implemented. These are serious issues which needs to be considered and is no joking matter.
“I really take offense to his statement because it is an insult to women. This is really unprofessional by our Home Minister. It was really irresponsible for him to make that statement. It is wrong to go to the hair salon? It is very insulting,” she told The Malaysian Insider.
She added that Hishammuddin must not only apologise but also understand issues affecting Malaysians.
“Clearly, a public apology would only be the first step. He does not understand the real issue and reasons why public perception is so bad. Criticisms leveled against the police do not equate hatred but a real desire to see an improved service and level of security. If he fails to see this, we need a new minister,” said Nurul Izzah.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said Hishammuddin was insensitive for joking about women.
“His statement is crazy and gender insensitive. He is running down and blaming women for being victims of crime. This statement shouldn’t have come out from the mouth of the Home Minister. He is the internal security minister and his job is devise ways to make the streets safer for Malaysians. Instead he takes this issue so lightly and even laughs at women and accused women of doing nothing. This is very irresponsible of him.
“This can make people ask him what has he done to reduce street crime for the public? Hishammuddin has a wife, daughter and mother who are women and subjected to street crime too,” she said.
Women’s Aid Organisation’s executive director, Ivy Josiah, said Hishammuddin statement was “infuriating” and “demeaning.”
“This is an outrageous, ill informed and knee jerk remark. Just in the month of April, two of my colleagues had their bag snatched in Section 14 PJ. In Section 6, where I live, the neighborhood has experienced at least five snatches.
“To downplay street crime to women’s idle chatter is infuriating and demeaning. Perhaps the minister needs to take a bus, walk to the shops and cross a street to understand how frightening it has become. For the record, most of us women cannot afford to go to the hairdresser,” said Ivy.
