Malaysian Minister faces backlash for suggesting husbands ‘gently strike’ wives

Malaysia’s Deputy Minister for Women, Family, and Community Development, Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, has come under fire for urging husbands to maintain a ‘gentle but firm’ touch against wives who are stubborn. The move is being hailed as misogynistic and has garnered criticism from not only women but men who are ‘outraged’.

The Malaysian Deputy Minister allegedly made the remarks on Instagram, in a video, where she advised men to ‘gently strike’ their wives for being stubborn. The video has managed to attract a multitude of negative criticism from the public who say that the remarks are a cause of deep-seated misogyny in Malaysian culture and values. Based on the video, Yusoff said that beating wives would prevent women’s stubbornness and provocative behavior and allow room for discipline.

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According to British Daily, Daily Mail, Yusoff has been accused of ‘normalizing domestic violence’ by urging men to talk to ‘unruly women’ followed by a period of sleeping apart and then lightly beating them upon no change in behavior. The female Minister reportedly posted a two-minute video on Instagram entitled “Mother’s Tip’s” in which she urged husbands to discipline wives over unbecoming behavior.

The deputy minister, who is affiliated with the who is MP for the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party of Malaysia, urged women to talk to their husbands only if they give them permission. Talk to your husbands when they are calm, they have finished eating, and they have prayed. When they are calm, and you want to talk, get permission first, claimed the Deputy Minister.

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The remarks have been largely criticized by women rights activists and groups for gender equality, who have accused Yusoff of standardizing violence. The rights activists have also demanded that she resign from her position as the Deputy Minister for Women, Family, and Community Development. According to reports, they are demanding that she step down for her statement normalizing domestic violence, which is considered a crime in Malaysia.

It is pertinent to note that approximately, 9,015 cases of domestic abuse were reported between 2020 and 2021, however, it is believed the actual numbers may be much higher due to cases that often go unreported. According to a Malaysian women’s rights group, “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”. They added that when a minister is supposed to “uphold gender equality and the rights of women to protection and safety”, such a statement is ‘abhorrent’.

According to reports, the women’s rights faction also added that Siti Yusoff’s statement is a “demonstration of failed leadership”.

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