not enough for Fong

Now, the MPs have apologized to ALL women. Is that enough for MP Fong Po Kuan? Apparently not.

Apology ain't good enough, says Fong
Yoges Palaniappan
May 18, 07 4:00pm

DAP parliamentarian Fong Po Kuan, who bore the brunt of the sexist
remarks made by her Barisan Nasional counterparts Bung Mokthar Radin and
Mohd Said Yusof, is not satisfied with their public apology.

The two apologised to “all women in the country offended by the remarks”
following a meeting with Women, Family and Community Development
Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil this morning.

However, Fong claimed that Bung Mokthar and Mohd Said were not sincere.

"They’re not sincere, especially after what happened on Wednesday where
they apologised and later retracted their apologies," she said when
contacted.

“They are not remorseful. They are just finding excuses to justify their
behaviour by saying it was necessary to do it to defend the government
during debates in the Parliament," she added.

Fong, who feels that an apology is not sufficient punishment for the
duo, said she will discuss with DAP leaders regarding her next move.

Long-term solution

Meanwhile, Women’s Development Collective (WDC) executive director Maria
Chin Abdullah said the focus should be on a long-term solution.

“An apology is just a small part, I rather not focus so much on it. What
is more important is that whether they are going to do it again, and
what will be done if it occurs again?” she said.

Maria told malaysiakini that the government has an obligation to ensure
that sexism does not occur in Parliament again.

“We don’t want to go through the same exercise of staging protests and
accepting apologies from MPs again and again,” she said, adding that a
stop must be put to this.

“MPs like Bung Mokhtar and Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai) have a history
of hurling sexist remarks in Parliament. It has been happening since
1995 and it cannot be allowed anymore,” she said.

Maria said any MP who uses derogatory remarks against women should be
suspended and his pay and allowances cut until his suspension is over.

“We also propose that the (errant) MPs be made to do community service
with a women’s organisation for that period,” she added.

I like the last suggestion--making male chauvinist pig MPs do work for women's organizations. What a humbling experience! Then perhaps, they will learn how to behave like gentlemen and treat women courteously.

MPs apologize

The two uncouth MPs (Kinabatangan MP-Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin and Jasin MP-Datuk Mohd Said Yusof) have finally apologized to Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan. About time, too.