Fatimah (centre) speaks to reporters during a press conference at her office in Bangunan Baitulmakmur. On her left is Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The supreme council members of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Women are calling for stern action to be taken against those who keep posting derogatory remarks against its vice-chief Minister in Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri on social media.
PBB Women chief Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah says together with the executive committee of Sarawak Women and Family Council (MWKS), they stand together in condemning all these defamatory remarks made against Nancy which have gone viral.
“We, PBB Women Supreme council and MWKS, take a strong and united stand and condemn in the strongest terms those who choose to cross the line, resorting to name-calling and making untoward remarks on another person, irrespective of their status in life.
“We’re told that a police report has been lodged by certain quarters, including the minister herself.
“As such, we call upon all relevant authorities such as the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to pursue and prosecute these individual(s), and take the sternest action provided under the law as punishment as well as deterrence,” she told reporters at her office in Bangunan Baitulmakmur here yesterday.
Fatimah said Nancy had repeatedly denied making the statement ‘Bumiputera kalau tidak dibantu, mencuri’ (Bumiputeras – if not helped, would end up stealing).
She said nowhere in Nancy’s statement did she make such a remark, adding that it had been taken out of context.
Fatimah, who is also Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, said PBB Women and MWKS also viewed the posted remark ‘Dia ni kalau tak jadi menteri memang jadi pelacur’ (This one – if she had not become a minister, would have surely become a prostitute) as ‘very derogatory for women’.
“We view such remark with utter disdain and condemnation. Calling anyone a ‘pelacur’ (prostitute) is simply derogatory; let alone to a respectable woman minister who has made immense contribution to the nation and state.
“The remark is uncalled for and without justification; (it) is irresponsible, demeaning and defamatory,” she said.
Fatimah said Nancy on Nov 8, 2013, was explaining a National Economic Policy (NEP) which had been in existence for so long, but certain quarters had repeated the postings since 2015.
“Her (Nancy’s) statement to the press was taken out of context. She has denied it many times and the matter should be put to rest,” she stressed.