Politicians criticise UMNO legal adviser's 'menses' remark

The question of whether the person suitable or practical to be the Menteri Besar of Selangor is to be determined by the Sultan of Selangor, and not bound by any convention.

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang opined, there's no such convention prohibiting a Malay Muslim woman from becoming the Selangor MB.

"The primary reason why there's never been any woman appointed as the Menteri Besar is likely because none had ever been proposed to the Sultan for consideration. However, such history should not be an obstacle to propose a woman for the post.

"It would be absurd if a woman is prohibited from becoming a Menteri Besar simply because she has menses.

"We urge all parties to not simply create a faux convention, which may make our country an international laughing stock," he said in a press statement.

Tan's comments came following a remark by UMNO legal adviser and constitutional expert Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, who told the New Straits Times that PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail might not be a suitable candidate for the Selangor MB post because she suffers from "uzur syarie" (menses).

Meanwhile, DAP vice-president Teresa Kok said Mohd Hafarizam's statement is most laughable, ridiculous and sexist.

"His suggestion is a reflection of UMNO's fears about the possibility of Wan Azizah becoming the Selangor MB, and is an attempt to prevent the possibility from becoming a reality. But his suggestion is a lousy excuse," she wrote on her Facebook page today.

"Whether Wan Azizah is qualified to be MB will have to be based on the constitutional provisions of Selangor State Constitution and the rules of parliamentary democracy," she said.

Kok said Wan Azizah is entitled to become MB if she is an elected member of the Selangor State Assembly, commands majority support of the State assemblymen and is a Muslim Malay.

"If a woman Menteri Besar cannot accompany the sultan on religious functions due to menstrual problems, she can always delegate the responsibility and role to an Exco who is in charge of Islamic affairs," she added.

In Mohd Hafarizam's controversial statement, he said Wan Azizah’s menstrual cycle will prevent the Kajang rep from becoming the MB because she would not be able to attend religious events during 'that time of the month'.

In the NST's report today, the lawyer said the post has always been held by a male for that reason although there is no specific clause in state laws that bans a woman to be the menteri besar.

"This is because should a woman menteri besar suffer from 'uzur syarie' (period), there will be many obstacles for her to accompany the Sultan at religious functions," Mohd Hafarizam was quoted in the report.

Article 51 (2) of the Selangor State Constitution 1959 only stipulated criteria that no person should be appointed as menteri besar "unless he is of the Malay race and professes the Muslim Religion".