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The Menteri Besar of Terengganu, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, is reported to have said (NST 5/8/03) that women are more suited to work in educational and welfare sectors, but not in judicial and administrative positions, nor in heading (e.g.) prisons and wildlife departments. He is further reported to have based his view on the reasoning that menstruation and pregnancy would affect women’s ability to withstand work pressure.

The Bar Council finds the above comments and reasoning shocking indeed.

The success of women in diverse fields, both in Malaysia and internationally, is testimony of their ability to assume and fulfill an equal role in all aspects of society, both within and outside families. Women, both here and abroad, have excelled in the judiciary, public administration, sciences and so many other fields of work. Many heads of States are women, who are certainly NOT second to men in handling the pressure of top jobs.

The vision of a truly gender-equal society is shared by fair-minded men and women alike. The struggle to achieve that long overdue goal is still on-going. Malaysians of the 21st century should be encouraged to join in the struggle, and not to rekindle some medieval and baseless notion of gender inferiority that has already been reduced to ashes by the progress of societies worldwide.

The amendment (in September 2001) to Article 8 of the Federal Constitution, which has made express the prohibition against gender discrimination, is recognition of the continuing efforts made by the Government and the Malaysian people to remove all forms of gender bias in our society.

Thus, it is shocking and sad that a state leader has made the above reported remarks, which tends to put the clock back. Such a narrow view has disrespectfully ignored the centuries of contributions made by countless women to all societies, and the proven capabilities of women that are no doubt equal to men.

The Menteri Besar needs to be sensitised on gender issues of the modern era.

Dated 6th August 2003

Hj. Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari
Chairman
Bar Council