Where to begin? Yesterday, a PKR senator, Mohd Imran Abd Hamid, used precious taxpayer time to propose a law that would protect men from being seduced by women into raping them.
Take a minute to let that sink in: A member of the upper house of Parliament took the time — on your dime — to show that he understood neither the concept of seduction, nor (more worryingly) rape. A high-ranking Malaysian official believes his fellow men have so little control of their own will, that they need a law protecting them from being “seduced” into raping women. Victim blaming, only codified.
PKR President Anwar Ibrahim quickly (and wisely) moved to distance his party from the proposal, saying the PKR believes Mohd Imran’s proposal is both “absurd” and “an insult to women.”
“The proposal also gives the impression that men are immoral and are easily seduced to the point they could be involved in such a despicable act, ” Ibrahim said in a statement earlier today.
He added that, if anything, laws protecting women should be strengthened to include other forms of sexual harassment.
“I request that PKR Senator Mohd Imran Abd Hamid withdraw the proposal, ” he concluded.
Some politicians were far harsher when it came to what felt like appropriate action, with the Wanita (women’s) wing of Sabah’s PKR division calling on party leaders to “seriously consider” replacing the misguided senator, to send a clear message that warped thinking will not be tolerated.
Rahimah Majid added that not only had Malaysia become an international laughingstock (again!), but it wasn’t even the first time the senator has found himself in hot water over his ideas of relations between men and women.
“In 2015, while debating in the Dewan Rakyat, he suggested that participants wearing sexy attire at sporting events could lead to illicit sex if they mingled freely with people.
“A failure to replace him (would mean) the party risks losing integrity and being shunned by the people,” she added.
She then echoed an analogy that came to mind when we first heard of this absurd proposal: Why not propose a law that protects snatch thieves from being beguiled by their victims?!
*Blinks into abyss*
Think tank Center for a Better Tomorrow has also asked for the senator to retract his statement, and apologize.
Netizens, take the floor:
