Malaysians Say The Darndest Things!

Happy International Women’s Day! Unless Your Name Is Carol Chew Chee Lin

March 6, 2008

International Women’s Day falls on the 8th of March, which is this Saturday. Which is also the day that Malaysians will go to the polls to pick their next government. After all the unacceptable sexist shit that women have to put up with this past few years in Parliament, it’s quite fitting that Malaysian women get to decide with their vote, whether they will take this shit lying down for the next five years in Parliament.

Just this past year, in Parliament alone, we have had BN Morons of Parliament, men and women alike, making sexist statements such as:
- Parliament roof leaking once a month, just like a female opposition MP, Fong Po Kuan
- BN MP challenging Fong Po Kuan to a fight
- Female BN MP complaining that AirAsia skirts were too short, and male MP saying that he could even see the stewardess’ tunnel

I can therefore conclude it’s not easy being a female MP in our sexist Malaysian Parliament. So should Malaysians, regardless of gender, select and vote for sexist Parliamentarians? I’ll lay out the facts, and I let you decide.

First, let me introduce you to Miss Carol Chew Chee Lin.

Photo attribute: Malaysia Central

Carol is the MCA candidate running for Parliament in the Seputeh seat. However, don’t be fooled by her sweet exterior. Beneath that lies a pretty mean streak, which I will elaborate on later.

Just for some background info on this story, here’s Teresa Kok, her opponent.

Teresa is the DAP candidate running for Parliament in the Seputeh seat, a seat that she will be defending. From reading Teresa’s blog, it’s quite clear that she is one of the most hardworking MPs in the country, frequently having to battle against the machinery and propaganda of MCA and Barisan Nasional while dispensing with her duties.

This coming elections, Teresa Kok has decided to run for the Kinrara state seat in Puchong as well, so that there will be an opposition voice in the Selangor State Assembly.
(Pop quiz time: How many opposition state assemblymen are in the Selangor state assembly? Answer: 2, out of 56. Implications: Ruling state government can pass ANY state law that they wish to without any opposition. So think about how that would affect you if you’re a resident of Selangor.)

Cue Carol Chew’s entrance. What I mean by her mean streak was this: A few days ago, Carol and her campaign team launched a poster campaign that many people have decried as sexist in nature.

One poster showed a sexy woman in red, with hot stilettos to boot, hugging a Mr Kinrara and dumping Mr Seputeh. This was hung right in front of Teresa’s office, for full effect.

The poster reads “Once and for all, we will never abandon you, please vote BN.”

Another poster showed the same woman, strapped to a rocket, jetting from Mr Kinrara to Mr Seputeh.

The connotations are quite clear. In an effort by BN to show that Teresa Kok is insincere to both sets of voters by contesting in two seats, the posters played on that sentiment and painted her as a ‘loose’ woman who was unfaithful.

I have to conclude that these posters are really in bad taste, and extremely inappropriate, especially when it was authorized by a fellow woman who probably has to put up with this kind of shit from Malaysian men.

When given a chance to comment, here is what Miss Carol Chew Chee Lin has to say:

China Press today quoted the BN politician as saying that the posters were not sexist and were only meant to illustrate the point that a candidate contesting for two seats would not be able to serve the people well.

Total lack of remorse, and really lousy PR. Fortunately, senses prevailed and the posters were removed after a protest to the Elections Commission.

So I wish all women in the world a Happy International Women’s Day, except Carol Chew. She doesn’t deserve anyone’s best wishes. What an asshole.

Sources:
Malaysiakini: Kok raps rival over ’sexist’ posters
Protest Against Sexist Caricature Bill Board
Undignify Act by Carol Chew

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