In conjunction with the Cabinet meeting today, the two sexist Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan) were expected to make amends for their crude, vulgar, sexist gender-offensive remarks directed at DAP MP for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan in Parliament last Wednesday, not because they are truly contrite and repentant but because of escalating adverse public opinion and political pressures from some BN Ministers and MPs who have found life quite uncomfortable and unpleasant in the past week because of the controversy.
I was not completely surprised when shortly after noon, SMS were flying around that Mohd Said and Bung Mokhtar had apologied to Po Kuan and Malaysian women for their sexist and male-chauvinist remarks.
The Star online was the first to file the following four-paragraph report:
MPs apologise for sexist remarks KUALA LUMPUR: The two MPs at the centre of a storm over their sexist remarks have apologized. Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin and Jasin MP Datuk Mohd Said Yusof apologised to Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan and all Malaysian women for the remarks made in Parliament last week. The furore started in the Dewan Rakayt when Opposition MPs tried to raise a motion on the leaking ceiling near the media centre at the Parliament building. Bung and Mohd Said then said: “Mana bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor setiap bulan. (Where is the leak? Batu Gajah [MP Fong Po Kuan] also leaks monthly).”
Some two hours later, Malaysiakini carried the Star report but raised the question whether there was such an apology. It reported:
However when malaysiakini contacted Mohd Said for comment, he denied making any apology. “Why should I apologise? This was a matter raised during a debate in parliament. This is usual,” he added. He also said he would be meeting Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil this Friday to explain to her the remarks he had made in parliament. Bung Mokhtar did not pick up his telephone when contacted.
Later, Star online modified its report to remove all reference of apology to Po Kuan by the two sexist BN MPs, as follows:
MPs apologise for sexist remarks KUALA LUMPUR MPs Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin — BN) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan — BN) have apologised to all Malaysian women for making the now infamous bocor remarks in Parliament last week. 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 on Tuesday. “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. Both MPs got into hot soup when they remarked, “mana bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor setiap bulan” (Where is the leak, Batu Gajah [MP Fong Po Kuan] also leaks every month) during a heated argument last week over a leaked ceiling.
Both Mohd Said and Bung Mohtar have compounded their crude and vulgar exhibition of male chauvinism in Parliament last week by saying “sorry” to all women when they manifested not a single iota of being sorry, particularly in the deliberate exclusion of Po Kuan from the apologies.
What is worse, Bung Mokhtar also proved himself a liar when he claimed that he was provoked into such a “male-chauvinist” outburst because he was being called “binatang”.
Is Bung Mokhtar alleging that Po Kuan had called him “binatang” to justify directing derogatory, crude, vulgar, sexist and gender-offensive remarks at her? Po Kuan never used the word and I can personally vouch for it.
Can Bung Mokhtar prove that the word “binatang” had been used by Po Kuan or any other DAP MP against him, when we can prove that he and Mohd Said had used derogatory, crude, sexist and gender-offensive remarks?
Nobody would believe that Bung Mokhtar or the Parliamentary Mat Rempits would take it so docilely if Bung Mohtar had been called “binatang” as it would be full justification for them to go on a rampage to demand that it be withdrawn and apology tendered.
There is still a lot of confusion as to what exactly Mohd Said and Bung Mokhtar have been forced to do and say in conjunction with the Cabinet meeting today, but one thing is clear, there is totally no compunction, contrition or repentance by both of them about their male-chauvinist spree in Parliament last week, which was why they had been defending their actions to the hilt the past one week!