Prime Minister Must Intervene To Protect Women’s Safety From Physical Harm And Dignity By Directing The Police To Punish And Stop Political Gangsters, Who Shamed Malaysia With Language And Conduct Of Violence Against Teresa Kok(en/cn)

2014 DAP Woman’s Day Message By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 7.3.2014.

The Prime Minister must personally direct the Home Ministry and the police to respect women by acting sternly, speedily and relentlessly against political gangsters who recklessly denigrate women with derogatory insults or threaten them not only with violence but choose to carry them out. As Malaysia celebrates International Women’s Day, this important occasion is marred by the violent act in Sama Gagah, Permatang Pauh in Penang when an unidentified man attacked Seputih MP Teresa Kok with an egg after she finished her ceramah.

DAP is dismayed and angered by this attack and strongly condemns those involved whether directly attacking her or indirectly attacking her by offering RM 1,200 to anyone who slapped her. Even though Teresa was uninjured when the egg smashed into her hand, this cowardly attack is unprecedented because of the inaction by the police and the authorities against UMNO supporters who had earlier offered the RM 1,200 bounty.

Clearly the refusal by the Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi to punish those who threatened Teresa with violence has emboldened these political gangsters to continue with such words and even conduct of violence. Such double-standards and selective prosecution is evident when immediate action is taken on threats against BN leaders but even death threats against PR leaders, including myself as Penang Chief Minister, have gone unpunished.

Since the Home Ministry and the police has failed to act, the Prime Minister must intervene to stop the impression of “sanctioned” violence in words and conduct against PR leaders, including women. What is shocking is the perversity of UMNO leaders in refusing to condemn such incitement by UMNO groups thereby tacitly sanctioning such violent words and conduct against women.

All cultures, religion or race in the world considers it a cowardly and shameful act for a man to bully much, less do violence on women, except probably amongst UMNO supporters in Malaysia. Even criminal gangsters do not bully or attack women like these political gangsters. Sadly even UMNO Wanita has failed to show solidarity with women by demanding that action be taken against the man who attacked Teresa or to severely punish those UMNO support groups offering a RM1,200 bounty to anyone who slapped Teresa.

DAP salutes Teresa’s courage as she remained unfazed by the incident and vowed to continue her public meetings without affecting her normal schedule. Strongly condemning this barbaric attack on Teresa is not enough, the public especially women demands punitive action against those responsible.

Since the police and the Home Ministry has abdicated their responsibility to protect Teresa, the Prime Minister must intervene to salvage the dignity of women in Malaysia and give meaning to International Women Rights Day by ensuring that their safety is assured from being harrassed by threats or molested by violence.

LIM GUAN ENG

民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2014年3月7日在吉隆坡发表的2014年妇女节献词:

为保障妇女的身心安全,首相应指示警方惩治使用暴力言行对待郭素沁的政治流氓,以遏止这股歪风,免让我国蒙羞。

正当我国准备迎来年度国际妇女节之际,士布爹区国会议员郭素沁却在峇东埔遮麦花园演讲后,遭到不明人士投以鸡蛋,深受暴力言行之害。针对此事,我国首相应马上指示内政部长和警方彻查,以严正的态度迅速办案,将那些羞辱恐吓女性的政治流氓抓拿下来。

不管是先前发出赏金1200令吉掌掴郭素沁的事件,或是过后加诸在郭素沁身心的种种暴力言行,民主行动党对这接二连三的事情深感失望与愤怒,并予以强烈的谴责。虽然郭素沁遭鸡蛋袭击并无受伤,但凡此种种,皆因警方过去一直没有采取行动,一再姑息,始出现郭素沁遭鸡蛋袭击之事。

内政部长拿督斯里阿末扎席拒绝惩罚以暴力威胁郭素沁的人,很明显是纵容这群政治流氓继续使用语言暴力及做出暴力行为。当国阵领袖受威胁的时候就马上采取行动,但民联领袖包括我作为首席部长,即使接到死亡威胁,却没人受到严惩,证明了这是双重标准及选择性提控。

既然内政部及警方无法采取行动,首相就必须介入,停止这一系列冲着民联领袖,特别是女性领袖而来的语言暴力及暴力行为有“被允许”的印象。更让人震惊的是巫统领袖执拗的不肯谴责这些滋事的巫统团体,显然是默许这些对付女性的暴力语言及行为。

全世界所有的文化、宗教及种族皆对男性欺负女性视为懦夫及羞耻的行为,或许只有大马巫统的支持者不这么认为。即便是真正的罪犯流氓也不会像这些政治流氓一样欺负女性。遗憾的是,就连巫统妇女组都没有显示出女性自主的一面,要求对攻击郭素沁的人采取行动,严惩这些声称要出1200令吉聘人掌掴郭素沁的巫统支持者。

民主行动党向郭素沁的勇气致敬,因为她并没有受到此事的影响,更矢言会在不影响原定行程表下,如常出席各项会议。仅强烈谴责这项针对郭素沁而来野蛮的袭击并不足够,公众特别是女性的要求是,当局需对负责的方面采取严厉的行动。

既然警方及内政部已经放弃了他们保护郭素沁的责任,那首相则必需干预,以挽救妇女在马来西亚的尊严,并通过保证妇女安全免于受到暴力骚扰及威胁的情况下,赋予这个国际妇女节真正的意义。

林冠英