Woman MP asked to flash panty, claims Fuziah

She alleges that a parliamentary official has jokingly asked a woman MP and state rep to flash her panty in exchange for an exco post.

KUALA LUMPUR: A male parliamentary official has allegedly asked a woman MP and state assembly woman to flash her underwear in exchange for a state executive councillor post, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Interjected during the women minister’s winding-up speech, Fuziah Salleh (Kuantan-PKR) claimed that the man while having a casual conversation with the woman MP had uttered the remarks, which should be deemed offensive.

“He said the reason the woman MP did not get an exco position is because she did not flash her underwear. If she did so, she would have been an  exco.

“The point is when someone says it to woman, that is sexual harassment. I said sorry, but the woman is a mother,” Fuziah claimed.

She said this when commenting on the women minister Rohani Abdul Karim’s remark that the government has drafted a sexual harassment guideline for civil servants.

Fuziah told reporters later that the woman MP was caught by surprise with the man’s statement, and did not know how to reply.

Fuziah said the Women and Girls Protection Act 1973 cannot sufficiently curb this because the burden of proof rests on the woman.

She however, declined to name the MP and the official.

In reply, women minister Rohani said the case must be made an example for sexual harassment and action should be taken against the man.

“Although the burden of proof, we must proceed,” she said.