KUALA LUMPUR – Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff is once again facing public ire after suggesting that husbands rebuke their wives by “striking them” with a “soft yet firm” physical touch.
The tip, along with several ideas for husbands interested in admonishing their wives, was posted by Siti Zailah in a two-minute Instagram video on her account today.
“Sometimes, the wife does not cover her aurat (parts of the body that should be covered to ensure modesty) or she does things that the husband does not like.
“It is then the role of the husband to educate in a good way. If the wife does not listen to his advice, then in Islam, the husband can pressure her by separating their sleeping quarters for three days.
“If the wife still refuses to be disciplined and continues practises that are against Allah’s commands, then the husband can use a soft yet firm physical touch to show his strictness and how much he wants her to change,” she said, adding that the touch should not be painful and must instead be filled with affection.
In a tweet regarding the video, Siti Zailah’s predecessor Hannah Yeoh took to Twitter to condemn the content of the posting.
“Is this your deputy minister for the Women, Family and Community Development portfolio? She is tasked with looking after women of all races. Please ask her to demonstrate how men should use ‘soft yet firm physical touch’ to admonish their wives,” she said, addressing the question to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
In a subsequent tweet, Segambut MP Yeoh added the dangers that could be brought about by such a brief video on a sensitive topic.
“It is dangerous to do a two-minute video like this – the physical touch referred to by Siti Zailah is very subjective. Ask any doctors, activists, or organisations that handle domestic violence cases daily. Is it suitable for such a topic to be discussed through a video only two minutes long?”
Bahaya buat video 2 minit seperti ini - sentuhan fizikal lembut tapi tegas itu sangat subjektif. Tanya team doktor, aktivis dan NGO yang mengendalikan kes keganasan rumahtangga setiap hari. Adakah sesuai topik seperti ini dibincangkan melalui video 2 minit?
— Hannah Yeoh (@hannahyeoh) February 12, 2022
Similarly, netizens were quick to express dismay over Siti Zailah’s advice, with many saying that the deputy minister should be ashamed of herself, as such counsel will only bring more harm than good.
“Shame on you! How dare you perpetuate this disgusting patriarchal toxicity. No accreditation or intellect,” Instagram user @emisoraradiorebelde said.
Another user by the name of @lathadevi_nara chimed in, saying: “There should not be any physical or mental hurting of any kind in a relationship. Get this through your head.”
This is not the first time Siti Zailah is facing public backlash over controversial comments.
In March last year, the deputy minister had deactivated her Twitter account following criticism directed her way over her quip on the Covid-19 pandemic.
The deputy minister had tweeted that the probability of dying from the coronavirus is only 1%, while the chances of dying at any moment is 100%.
She added that people should work on restoring their faith and surrendering to God, saying: “Verily, death is a true thing and it arrives without warning.”
A month after that, Muslim women’s rights group Sisters in Islam (SIS) had lambasted Siti Zailah after she posted a video suggesting for women to “accept, remain patient with, and forgive” their abusive spouses.
The video, which SIS had labelled as unacceptable and unbecoming, especially considering Siti Zailah’s position in a ministry tasked to protect women, saw the deputy minister handing out advice on how to handle stress for married couples.
She also suggested for wives to think of the husband’s “1,000 strengths”, say thank you and forgive each other, adding that Muslims can take their ablution to calm themselves down when feeling angry. – The Vibes, February 12, 2022
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