Malaysians are relieved that rumours that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had fainted during a function in Teluk Batik, Lumut yesterday was untrue and in Abdullah’s own words, “I am fine, don’t worry”.

Malaysians do not want to see anything untoward happening to Abdullah and are glad that a series of tests carried out on him, including an ECG, declared him to be in good health after he had lost his balance during a presentation of keys for a housing project for the poor.

While Malaysians are relieved that there is nothing amiss with him physically and health-wise, they are also at the same time very disappointed that he is not providing the proper leadership when he could declare that he was satisfied with the performance of Barisan Nasional (BN) elected representatives, when public outrage at the crude, vulgar, derogatory and offensive remarks by the two sexist BN Members of Parliament, Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan) are roiling the country.

Abdullah seems to be less than sensitive as he should be to the gross misconduct of the two sexist BN MPs, especially at a time when it is about to be transformed into an international issue with international women leaders preparing to demonstrate support and solidarity with DAP MP for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan and Malaysian women — the immediate targets and victims of the latest ‘male chauvinist” attacks by the two sexists BN MPs in Parliament last week.

I am very disappointed that at the meeting of BN elected representatives, including MPs and State Assembly members, yesterday the Prime Minister had missed the opportunity to give both the sexists BN MPs a public “dressing down” and make it clear that there is no room for “male chauvinists” and gender-insensitivity in his administration — whether Parliament and the various state legislatures, whether from the Barisan Nasional or Opposition.

Is Abdullah’s continued silence on the crude and sexist conduct of the Jasin and Kinabatangan MPs a public gesture that he finds nothing wrong or objectionable to their derogatory, sexist and offensive remarks directed against Po Kuan?

Abdullah must not condone the crude and abominable conduct of the two sexists BN MPs as it will bring disrepute to his premiership and Islam Hadhari as well as disappoint Malaysian women and Malaysians who expected his sense of justice and fair play as among his strongest armour.

Abdullah must speak up and redeem the grave injustice and disservice which the two sexist BN MPs had done to Parliament, Malaysian women and the Barisan Nasional.

In fact, the Cabinet on Wednesday should come out with a public apology to Parliament, Malaysian women and the nation for the disgraceful and disreputable conduct of the two sexist BN MPs, which have attracted a new round of negative international publicity for the country.