Yoursay: An insult from PAS on day to hail women’s achievements

To mark Int’l Women’s Day, Perak PAS official moots polygamy

Negarawan: “Women’s Day will be more meaningful if a woman gifts another woman to her spouse as a mark of appreciation of other women,” Perak PAS information chief Wan Tarmizi Abd Aziz.

Instead of honouring women on this day, the PAS leader degrades them as sex objects. PAS is not only a racist and religious supremacist, but also a sexist party.

David Dass: The entire world celebrates the emancipation of women from the time they were regarded as chattels to where they are now. Even Saudi Arabia talks about reform.

Women occupy top jobs in different countries of the world. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Israel, the United Kingdom and Germany have or have had women heads of state. A number of Fortune 500 companies are being run by women.

Granted that there is no religious bar to polygamy in Islam but the education of women and their increasingly important role in the workforce must surely make polygamy the exception rather than the rule.

Turvy: The ideas this man spouts are contemptible. The language he uses is hilarious. To extend his logic, would he consider a gift of a wife to a man friend as a mark of his appreciation of his friend?

But poking fun at him only trivialises what he says. He undermines the essential social unity of marriage that has evolved over the millennia.

That unity has provided for stability of the community and the development of individuals. It has fostered responsibilities and obligations that are the foundation of modern societies.

So much so that new alliances are now claiming the right to be united in marriage. Why? For all those same reasons that have supported the institution of marriage.

And not because the spouse is seen as an object that can be gifted to another.

Slumdog: It is insulting and degrading to all Muslim and non-Muslim women to hear Perak PAS information chief’s thoughts on International Woman’s Day and his thoughts on women generally.

This is an outrage, reminiscent of Taliban, archaic and medieval thinking. It is always about sexual gratification. It is always about women satisfying and obeying their husbands.

His words are very offensive and revolting. It is men like him that give Islam a bad name. I am waiting for the women of Malaysia to vent their outrage and speak out against this man.

Meerkat: Why is it always the Muslim women who should constantly think of pleasing Muslim men? Even on International Women’s Day?

And why is pleasing Muslim men always centred around sex? When are Muslim men going to be encouraged to respect their wives, please them and love them, for better or for worse?

MA: As a man, it is so shameful that we have this type of leaders. Such an embarrassing news after reading and listening to the high achievements and tenacity of womenfolk the world over.

Proarte: This is good news for the opposition. The more PAS shows the public that it supports a dark age lifestyle and discrimination towards women, the less support it will get in the next election. It will also taint Umno by association.

JD Lovrenciear: Sad and pathetic. In this age and enlightenment. Indeed, humanity and its dignity are at crossroads.

When desire proceeds loyalty; when desire proceeds duty of care; when desire conquers with justifications, where is our time immemorial understanding of fidelity?

But it is a choice that individuals must make. And with decisions come responsibility and accountability. To be able to stand before God on your day of reckoning and be able to account.

Rupert16: Another PAS clown who sees women as commodity. He has no respect for his wife. Hope his daughters (if he has any) will one day not end up as somebody else’s second, third or fourth wives.

P Dev Anand Pillai: This will continue as long as Malay women don’t respond. They continuously do this because only a small number of Malay women outwardly challenge and oppose these ideas.

Many other women support these brave women but ultimately buckle under pressure when it comes to real push for change.

Until and unless Malay women wake up and respond either through the ballot box or by sheer numbers to oppose such suggested legislation, this will continue.

Wake up and do it, don’t expect your non-believing sister comrades to do it for you.

Tembikai: Wan Tarmizi, did your wife say no to you when you suggested to her that you wanted to marry a second wife? Is that why you came in full force to defend polygamy?

Odin Tajué: Indeed, you have no respect for women, at all. If you want to practise polygamy, then you should allow polyandry, too, to be fair to your womenfolk.

Women are their own worst enemies

Anonymous #33227154: Many Muslim women are brainwashed from young by their family members and the religious teachers/authorities that they are lower status and have to submit themselves to men. This is a ploy by men to take advantage of women, all in the name of religion.

If sexists like Wan Tarmizi and Nuridah Mood Salleh advocate polygamy in men, then it should be a woman’s right as well. So what’s wrong with a woman who marries a few husbands at the same time?

P Dev Anand Pillai: You are very right, Mariam. I have always been one who keeps saying that. It is the women themselves. If they come together as one, they can bring a country down but the problem is they simply don’t.

They have the best brains, now even the best in physical ability looking at all the strength women athletes and fighters have which are constantly shown in the social media today but yet, they don’t seem to have what it takes to respond to such stupidity.

As for our women, they lead in every other sphere except in the department of confidence to make a stand and change. Come on ladies, don’t allow Mariam to do all the talking and defending for you.

David Dass: Naive or stupid women exist in all races and all religions. Women have fallen for duplicitous men from the beginning of times.

They should not be condemned for their naivete or foolishness. The law and society should protect them or support them. An enlightened system will look after them.

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