Aiyo... Wat Lah?! Awards 2013 'honour' the sexist, homophobic

The second edition of spoof awards is organised by Action Group on Gender Equality (JAG) -- a coalition women’s rights NGOs-- and gave out awards in seven categories on statements and policies deemed ‘sexist, misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic.’

The awards was hosted by Ribena Berry, the stage name for playwright Jo Kukathas, in a stand-up comedy style. None of the winners turned up to receive their medals.

The winner of the “Insulting Intelligence” category was Prime Minister and former Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, over a statement he reportedly made last year in October.

Najib’s statement: “There is no need for a women’s rights movement in Malaysia because equality has been given from the start” apparently garnered a ‘slidelide victory’.

Winner of the "Foot in Mouth" category was the statement “I don’t sleep with my son, I’m not gay,” reportedly made by former Law Minister, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, over his explanation over his son’s relationship with a Sabahan timber trader.

Bagging the "Least Helpful to the Sisterhood" category was former Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil. It was over her reported statement, “It is because of the achievements of the UMNO-Barisan Nasional government that … we don’t need to be activists, we don’t need to burn our bras to get gender equality.”

Winning the "Cannot Ignore" category was an allegation that women have a tendency to exaggerate about a sexual act, reportedly made by High Court judge Zamani Abdul Rahim when overturning the conviction of a kindergarten operator accused of raping a four-year old child.

While not strictly an individual, the Kelantan state government also received the win in the "Policy Fail" category over the summons received by a woman hairdresser in a Kota Bharu, Kelantan, mall for cutting a male customer’s hair.

Crowned in the "Enough Already!" category is the 'continued harassment of Bersih 2.0 co-chair S Ambiga'. The harassments include, among others, the ‘bottom exercises’ conducted by ten men from the Malay Armed Forces Veterans Association in front of Ambiga’s house and a statement made by a former member of parliament calling her a ‘traitor to the Agong’ and a call to ‘sentence her to hang’.

Coincidentally, Ambiga was among the audience and medals was passed to her so that she could 'share them' with the winners.

Not all awards were for inappropriate, jaw-dropping or 'facepalm' statements though and the policy which won the "Right on Track" category was an amendment by the Dewan Rakyat to its Standing Orders to prohibit members of parliament from making sexist remarks.

“It is equally important to recognise those who are making the right efforts to fight discrimination on the basis of gender and sexuality. The Right on Track category aims to do just that,” All Women’s Action Society Assistant Programme Officer Hew Li-Sha said.

The awards were held to encourage higher standards of public discourse from authorities in relation to gender and sexuality. More than 1,700 people voted to choose the winning nominated statements or policies.

Members of the public are encouraged to nominate sexist, misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic statements made by public figures in 2013 for the awards next year by visiting aiyohwatlah.tumblr.com.

In the 2012 awards last year, the winners included “Wives who don’t satisfy their husbands are the cause of illicit sex - The Obedient Wives Club” for the “Least Helpful to the Sisterhood” category. Another winner for the “Foot in Mouth” category was “Unwanted buildings are like an old woman - Penang Gerakan chief Teng Hock Nam”.

Among other nominated entries were:

CATEGORY: FOOT IN MOUTH “Pakai sarung tangan pegang isteri nanti tak terasa.”- Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (13 March)

“I don’t think beautiful girls will want the indelible ink to mar their pretty hands or nails. How are they supposed to paint their nails afterwards? They might not even want to meet their boyfriends after voting or they might not even vote.”- People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president M. Kayveas (10 June)

“Women are easier to bully and tackle. Women never change. They always like to bring lots of money in their handbags. That is why they are attacked. That’s the problem.”- Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation executive committee member Robert Phang (27 June)

The ban on Irshad Manji’s roadshow on grounds that her lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) ideology contradicts Malaysia’s position as an Islamic country and would spread “fahaman songsang”- Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Jamil Khir Baharom (19 May)

Pakatan Rakyat is “like a gay marriage where one doesn’t know who is the father and who is the mother.”- Puad Zarkashi, a member of parliament (BN-Batu Pahat) (21 November)

Extremists introducing “budaya negative” including street demos and LGBT practices are more dangerous than communists - National Social Extremist Threat Division Assistant Director Mohd Sofian Md Makinuddin (29 July)

LGBTs have no rights under the Federal Constitution -- Statement by Mashitah Ibrahim, Deputy Minister in the PM’s Office (19 June)

Dismissing the application of ex-Guppy women workers who challenged their forced early retirement.- Courts (13 August)

Dismissing Seksualiti Merdeka’s application for a judicial review on the police ban of their event. (1 March)

“We will ensure that any deviant culture, such as the behaviour of the LGBTs and deviant thoughts such as liberalism and pluralism, will not get any place in this country.” - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (25 June)

Dismissing the application challenging a law that makes it illegal for Muslim men to dress as women. - Courts (11 October)

“It's what wives must do, we give strength to our husband.” -- Rosmah Mansor, wife of Prime Minister(13 January)