Malaysian minister urges husbands to 'gently' beat wives, sparks outrage

Agencies | Kuala Lumpur 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A Malaysian female minister has sparked outrage after she advised husbands to beat their "stubborn" wives "gently" to discipline them for "unruly" behaviour.

Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, the deputy minister for women, family and community development, urged men to show their "unruly" wives how strict he is and "how much he wants her to change."

In a two-minute video posted on Instagram called 'Mother's Tips', Yusoff advised husbands to "discipline" their "stubborn" wives by speaking to them. If they did not change their behaviour, she advised men to sleep apart from them for three days.

Yusoff continued, "However, if the wife still refuses to take the advice, or change her behaviour after the sleeping separation, then the husbands can try the physical touch approach, by striking her gently, to show his strictness and how much he wants her to change."

The MP for the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party also urged women to speak to their husbands only if they have permission to win over their spouse.

She said, "Speak to your husbands when they are calm, finished eating, have prayed and are relaxed. When we want to speak, ask for permission first."

The video has been sparked on social media.

One user said, "No human has the right to strike another." Another wrote, "It is NEVER okay for anyone to strike another man, woman, child or animal. SHAME ON YOU ‼️"

Yet another user said, "What an embarrassment for Malaysian women!! How dare you represent yourself this way as a deputy minister? Hope you resign and let someone who cares about women to step in."

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality, a coalition of women's rights groups, accused Yusoff of "normalising" domestic violence and demanded she resigns from her position as deputy women's minister.

"The deputy minister must step down for normalising domestic violence, which is a crime in Malaysia, as well as for perpetuating ideas and behaviours that are opposed to gender equality," the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality said.

"There is often a stigma and fear attached to reporting domestic violence and this is made worse by statements such as those of Siti Zailah," the women's rights groups added.

They further said, "As a minister who is meant to uphold gender equality and the rights of women to protection and safety, this is abhorrent, denies women the right to equality, their right to dignity and to be free from degrading treatment.  It is grossly mistaken and a demonstration of failed leadership."