KUALA LUMPUR – As the 15th general election looms, social media scuffles among politicians continue to intensify as they attempt to gain the support of voters.
The latest saw Puteri Umno head Datuk Zahida Zarik Khan taking on incumbent DAP lawmaker Hannah Yeoh following the latter’s purported “face shaming” tweet, which sparked outrage among netizens.
On Twitter, Yeoh had tweeted that ex-Kedah executive councillor Datuk Suraya Yaacob resembled Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The tweet was made in response to a post about Suraya’s resignation as a Kedah exco.
The tweet prompted Zahida to respond, expressing her disapproval of Yeoh’s allegedly insulting comments on appearances.
“(‘Face shaming’) from someone with a ‘YB’ title and the former PH (Pakatan Harapan) deputy minister,” she said in her tweet.
“Different political ideologies aside, the act of humiliation, especially among women, is a very disgusting act,” she added.
In response to Zahida’s lambast, Yeoh rebutted by saying she did not face shame Rosmah, and questioned what the issue was if someone bore her resemblance.
“Hello Zahida, I never ‘face shamed’ Rosmah. What’s the problem if someone looks like her, Najib, or even you? I do not understand why Umno members would get furious if someone looks just like Rosmah,” she tweeted in response.
Yeoh explained in another tweet that pointing out that a person looks like another does not fall under face shaming.
She then included an example of when she compared her father’s likeness to former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and when she said Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman resembled actor Colin Kirton when he shaved his hair.
Nonetheless, Yeoh took down her initial tweet after receiving backlash from Zahida, other Umno youth, and netizens, before ultimately putting it back up.
“According to Puteri Umno and their youths’ logic, I am rude if I say another woman looks similar to Rosmah,” she said in her latest tweet regarding this situation.
“Fine, I’ll take back the tweet. I do not want to prolong this issue,” she added.
The argument between the two women caused debate on Twitter.
Some agreed that Yeoh’s comments were an act of face shaming and inappropriate, considering she was advocating for women’s empowerment.
In contrast, other netizens comically said that reprimanding Yeoh’s comments for being offensive only affirms that there is “something wrong” with Rosmah’s appearance. – The Vibes, October 14, 2022
