Malaysian MPs make sexist remarks about menstruation

Never has a comment caused such a sensation and raised quite a number of eyebrows as the now infamous " Bocor " comments by two Barisan Nasional MPs. Photoshoppe images of the two as orang utans were all over the blogs,

"mana bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor setiap bulan" (Where is the leak, Batu Gajah [MP Fong Po Kuan] also leaks every month)

MPs Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin – BN) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan – BN) during a heated argument in Parliament over a leaked ceiling.

The remarks caused a nationwide furore, leading various women’s groups to protest against the two MPs outside the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry . Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG), a coalition of seven non-governmental organisation handed over a memorandum to Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil on her part called for an end to sexism in Parliament. Sisters in Islam programme manager Zaitun Mohamed Kasim said this was not the first time that such insensitive comments were made by the MPs which reflected a deep culture of sexism in Parliament . “It also reflects badly on men that these MPs have a shallow mind and can only think of these things and nothing more,” she added. Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said the Cabinet should issue a public apology to Parliament and women in view of the disgraceful episode. “The entire Cabinet should be sent for intensive gender-sensitivity course so that ministers will set a good example for all the MPs,” he told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby.

MPs Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin – BN) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan – BN) later apologised to all Malaysian women for making the now infamous bocor remarks in Parliament."I am very sorry. I apologise to all women. It was a slip of the tongue, said in the heat of the moment," said Mohd Said, adding, "I respect all women and the liberation of women."
In Kota Kinabalu, Bung Mokhtar also expressed his apology to all women for his "unintended remarks.It was not my intention to hurt any woman. I said it in the heat of an argument with DAP members, who were calling me binatang (animal) and accusing the Barisan Nasional of corruption. I strongly feel that women's feelings should be respected," he told The Star.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said Malaysia’s image was also not affected as the case was not one of systematic sexism but comments of two individuals. He was replying to Lim Kit Siang who had wanted the Prime Minister to state whether the handling of the controversy had caused Malaysia’s name to be affected badly.

adapted from : The Star Newspaper