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Dyana not the only victim of sexism in politics, say women leaders

BY ANISAH SHUKRY
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 25, 2014

The smear campaign against DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud highlights the sexism endemic in Malaysian politics.

In Parliament, men outnumber women by almost 10 to one. A female representative, whether in Parliament or a state assembly, has to fight sexist perceptions of her marital status, looks and dress.

DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok said she once argued in Parliament for the rights of single mothers, only to be interrupted by an MP who reminded the Dewan Rakyat that she was unmarried.

“They said I was single, not qualified to make comments on the issue of single mothers. And being a single woman in the eyes of some Umno MPs is akin to being a second-class citizen. They run me down, treat my status as a joke,” the Seputeh MP told The Malaysian Insider. Continue reading “Dyana not the only victim of sexism in politics, say women leaders”

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Call on Muhyiddin to repudiate, condemn and apologise for the sexist and personal attacks against Dyana Sofya, especially the fake bikini photo and character assassination of her as mindless and even a fraud

(Media Statement in Teluk Intan on Sunday, May 25, 2014)

I call on the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to repudiate, condemn and apologise for the sexist and personal attacks against DAP/Pakatan Rakyat candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud both before and during the by-election campaign.

The first question I want to ask Muhyiddin is whether he would approve or denounce a vicious, devilish and sexist attack on his daughter should she ever become a candidate for parliamentary or state assembly elections, like the sexist attack against Dyana with the circulation of her in fake bikini photograph, when the person in bikini was Filipino actress Pauleen Luna and not Dyana Sofya?

I am sure Muhyiddin would have reacted in anger and outrage against such despicable lies and calumny against his daughter – but why is he so heartless, unprincipled, opportunistic and even cowardly as not to react with anger and outrage against the dastardly sexist attacks on Dyana and put an immediate halt to such despicable tactics during the Teluk Intan by-election campaign, whether in Teluk Intan or on the social media?

The Barisan Nasional leaders, whether in Teluk Intan or outside, could deny until they are blue in the face that they are responsible for the sexist attacks on Dyana but no one whether in Teluk Intan or in the country would believe that Barisan Nasional/UMNO are not responsible for the fake bikini photograph trying to character-assassinate Dyana, particularly when it was the blogs of the UMNO cybertroopers who were the first to carry the fake bikini photo. Continue reading “Call on Muhyiddin to repudiate, condemn and apologise for the sexist and personal attacks against Dyana Sofya, especially the fake bikini photo and character assassination of her as mindless and even a fraud”

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Are we brewing another May 13, 1969?

By Azly Rahman

This is serious, if you ask me about the latest events concerning Umno and DAP: those revolving around name-calling, storming of the Penang state legislature and the latest, on the threat to burn down the headquarters of the DAP.

Is this a prelude to something bigger as we approach the 14th general election? Irrationality will rule and will be rationalised. Is the climax to a potentially explosive racial conflict going to be built up and the two parties involved in a showdown? Go back to the prelude to May 13, 1969, if we wish to process the brewing of mass violence.

I hope we are all sane enough to diffuse these kinds of situation and quickly make peace and for all to be patient, to exercise restrain, and to not provoke those who are irrational. We will make it as Malaysians. We have come a long way through our hard work in building bridges and to continue to call ourselves Malaysians.

But crises will be manufactured and we will never know the truth of any conflict that will bring chaos to the country.

Let us use whatever medium of peace-making and peace-building at our disposal to make peace with ourselves and with others. Continue reading “Are we brewing another May 13, 1969?”

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Will Teluk Intan vote for the way forward?

Kee Thuan Chye
news.malaysia.msn.
22nd May 2014

Without considering the ethnicity of the candidate, whom would you rather have represent you in Parliament – an intelligent, energetic, winsome 27-year-old woman with a pristine political record and a dream of bringing about racial unity in Malaysia, or a politically experienced 53-year-old man who has won twice and lost twice over four general elections in the same constituency he is now contesting yet again, been a deputy minister for one term, and is president of Gerakan, a Barisan Nasional (BN) party that has fallen by the wayside?

Next question: Of the two candidates, the victory of which would send out a more positive, significant and healing message to the entire nation? Which would bode better for Malaysia’s future?

Next question: If you were voting in the upcoming Teluk Intan by-election, would you vote for change and the potential for politics that transcends race, or would you vote for the same old brand of politics which somehow ends up being race-based?

Would you vote for the DAP’s Dyana Sofea Mohd Daud or BN’s Mah Siew Keong? Continue reading “Will Teluk Intan vote for the way forward?”

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With DAP’s Dyana, Ambiga says happy to see more women in politics (VIDEO)

BY BOO SU-LYN
The Malay Mail Online
MAY 25, 2014

TELUK INTAN, May 25 — In a country where only one out of 10 MPs is female, activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan lauded Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud’s bold step forward into the murky political world dominated by men.

Ambiga, a former Malaysian Bar president turned activist, also decried the sexist attacks that the 26-year-old DAP aspirant has suffered in the Teluk Intan by-election campaign.

“As a woman, I’m happy to see more and more women coming up to fight the battle in the political arena,” Ambiga said at a DAP fundraising dinner here last night, attended by some 2,000 people.

“We are happy to see more women in Parliament,” added the former chief of election watchdog Bersih 2.0.

The 13th general election last year saw only 23 women being elected into the 222-seat Parliament.

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition has 14 female federal lawmakers, while the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has nine, out of which the DAP has the most at four. Continue reading “With DAP’s Dyana, Ambiga says happy to see more women in politics (VIDEO)”

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Dyana Sofya dan keberanian politik DAP

Amin Iskandar
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 25, 2014

Sejak Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud dinamakan DAP sebagai calon mereka bagi Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Teluk Intan, nama gadis itu terus melonjak naik dan menjadi “darling” kepada media.

Sebagai pengamal media atas talian, saya sendiri dapat menyaksikan apa sahaja berita yang mempunyai nama Dyana Sofya tidak kira yang menyanjung atau menghinanya, pasti akan “laku terjual”.

Di media sosial seperti Facebook, Twitter dan YouTube, Dyana Sofya begitu laku sekali.

Teluk Intan yang bersedih di atas kematian bekas Ahli Parlimen Seah Leong Peng kerana penyakit barah kini mempunyai fenomena baru dengan kehadiran Dyana Sofya. Continue reading “Dyana Sofya dan keberanian politik DAP”

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Berjaya tambat hati Melayu, peluang cerah Dyana menang

– Hamri Ibrahim
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 23, 2014

Keputusan DAP mencalonkan setiausaha politik Lim Kit Siang, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud yang juga merupakan graduan undang-undang Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) pada pilihan raya kecil (PRK) Teluk Intan dilihat sebagai langkah strategik bagi meraih undi orang Melayu di Parlimen berkenaan.

Ia sekali gus diharap dapat mengembalikan kepercayaan orang Melayu dan mengubah persepsi negatif mereka terhadap parti berkenaan.

Persoalannya, mampukah strategi ini berjaya pada PRK Teluk Intan nanti? Continue reading “Berjaya tambat hati Melayu, peluang cerah Dyana menang”