Ban men from athletics because
of sexy skintight attire?...
There has been a bit of a debacle after the Terengganu government decided to bar women gymnasts from participating in gymnastics events, including at Sukma (Sukan Malaysia). The state government is PAS-led and falls under the banner of Perikatan Nasional - the “Green Wave”. I’ll bet you that they will say this issue should not be politicised, but it is so obviously politics.
Of course, it would be much more progressive if politics and governance focused on the more important issues of the economy, cost of living, corruption and even freedom of the media and expression, instead of the petty debate of attire in sports. But life is such and it is very worrying if this type of policing spreads and becomes much more a part of our system and culture.
Terengganu’s move is archaic and extremely backward. This has no place if we want to be a progressive and forward-thinking country. This reeks of instances we hear and see in places such as Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia where women are oppressed and everything is just backward in general. It is just ridiculous to see how the state suggested that all the gymnasts move on to a different sport.
It was reported that several of the state’s gymnasts had moved on to wushu, which is a totally different sport that gymnastics (although the attire is definitely much looser). What is the logic for someone who has been training for years in one particular sport and then told to change to another unrelated sport?
That would be a total waste of their years in training and basically starting from zero again. I guess that’s why several other gymnasts in Terengganu just decided to retire and apparently ‘focus on their studies’. What a shame that talent is just wasted just like that. It is also such a pity for these athletes who could probably have so much potential in an athletic career.
Try banning men...
What’s surprising is that this form of oppression only befalls the women. How come there aren’t any restrictions like this for men? How about men’s football? They tend to wear shorts and if religion is a reason, then that would be wrong too because they would be exposing their knees and that would be considered their aurat (modesty) which should be covered. So they should just ban all men from taking part in football.
Athletics is another sport that should also face the same restriction. Have you seen how skimpy the shorts and singlets men wear in athletics? And what about their tight-running leggings or even onesies? It’s so tight that you can see every shape of the legs and crotch. Nothing is left to the imagination. Shouldn’t we then ban all men from taking part in athletics?
Azeem Fahmi, who just made Malaysia so proud by winning the bronze in the 100m sprint at the 2023 Asian Games, should not be allowed to pursue his career any longer. He should take up fencing instead where his entire body and face will be covered completely (obviously I’m just making a point here and not seriously believing that!).
And footballers should all take up judo instead because they wear a judogi or kimono. Oh but wait, after all of the pulling they do in the ring, sometimes their clothes get untucked and their stomach and belly button are revealed. I guess we should ban that too.
Moving backwards...
My daughters are both gymnasts and do compete. I remember speaking to their gymnastics coach once before a competition. Apparently, there were already compromises made to the rules, especially for competitions organised by the Youth and Sports Ministry as well as the Education Ministry, to encourage more people to participate for example allowing girls to wear shorts outside of their leotard.
But I guess that’s not enough for the Terengganu state government. But then again, how come it is enough for men? Male footballers are allowed to wear long leggings under their shorts even if those leggings are figure-hugging and the contours of their knobbly knees can clearly be seen. Are there different standards between men and women?
It also seems like all these decisions were made by men. Even the statements regarding this issue in the news were all quotes from men. Is this another way for men to assert control? Are there no women in the sports agencies or in the state government who can put forth any comments, opinions or suggestions? If this is the case, then it’s confirmed that if we let this go on, we are really moving backwards.
We cannot allow this to develop any further or else we will eventually really become a Taliban state. If this is what the “Green Wave” is all about, then we should be really worried and take active measures so that this ideology doesn’t propagate any further. We all know how countries like Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia are when it comes to their treatment of women. It is dangerous.
Remember that it’s okay to be conservative, but there should be no compulsion and don’t impose it on anyone. There is always a way and at the end of the day, we must not be lazy to engage and have thoughtful discussions so that we can be an inclusive and fair society. - Zan Azlee,mk
Taktik PN makan diri di Pelangai...
Bekas menteri besar Pahang Adnan Yaakob mungkin telah bantu tumbangkan Perikatan Nasional (PN) pada PRK Pelangai semalam sama ada secara sedar atau tidak. Pada awalnya Adnan dilihat seakan ‘bola tanggung’ buat gabungan pembangkang itu, beliau sebaliknya antara kunci kemenangan Barisan Nasional (BN). Ini mungkin sekadar satu teori tapi kaitan Adnan dalam kemenangan calon BN Amizar Abu Adam tidak boleh dinafikan, manakala PN yang beria-ia mahu mengembangkan ‘Gelombang Hijau’ ke Pahang kesudahannya bungkus.
Amizar memperoleh 7,324 undi untuk menang dengan majoriti lebih kecil 2,949 undi ke atas calon PN Kasim Samat yang mendapat 4,375 undi sementara calon bebas, Haslihelmy DM Zulhasli hanya meraih 47 undi, sekali gus hilang deposit. Peratusan keluar mengundi 72.12%. Pada PRU15, calon BN Johari Harun menang dengan majoriti 4,048 undi, menewaskan calon PN, Kasim yang mendapat 3,260 undi, Ahmed Wafiuddin Shamsuri (PH) 2,031 undi, dan Isa Ahmad (Pejuang) 65 undi. Peratusan keluar mengundi ketika itu 78%.
Pada PRK semalam, BN menduduki tempat teratas di tujuh daripada sembilan daerah mengundi termasuk Felda Chemomoi, kecuali Felda Kemasul dan Felda Kemahal yang memihak PN. Pada 16 Ogos lalu, tokoh veteran Adnan dipetik berkata bahawa Umno dah nak ‘bungkus’ selepas parti itu sekadar menang 19 – masing-masing dua kerusi di Selangor dan Pulau Pinang, satu di Kelantan dan 14 di Negeri Sembilan – daripada 108 kerusi yang ditandingi pada PRN 12 Ogos lalu.
Oleh kerana beliau membuat kenyataan itu tatkala di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur dipercayai bagi kes membabitkan Pengerusi PN Muhyiddin Yassin, maka banyaklah tafsiran dibuat yang Long Nan, seperti beliau dikenali, tidak lagi menyokong Umno. Namun, beliau tidak pula pernah umum demikian. Muhyiddin ketika itu dilepas dan dibebaskan terhadap empat pertuduhan menggunakan kedudukannya sebagai perdana menteri kelapan bagi suapan berjumlah RM232.5 juta daripada tiga syarikat untuk Bersatu yang diketuainya.
“Umno pun dah nak bungkus dah, bungkus lipat,” katanya dalam video berdurasi 25 saat yang tular sejak itu. Lantaran bekas Adun Pelangai selama lapan penggal sejak 1986 ini ditafsirkan tidak lagi di pihak Umno, maka majoriti pengundi di DUN itu dianggap harus mengambil pendirian serupa.
Tetapi, apabila Adnan dilihat menyertai pimpinan BN lain pada majlis pengumuman calon pada 20 September lalu dan kemudian turun membantu Amizar pada minggu kedua berkempen, PN tidak dapat menggunakan naratif yang sama. Cuma Haslihelmy yang mendakwa nama Long Nan sudah “tidak laku untuk dijual”.
“Adnan tidak asing di Pelangai dan beliau sangat baik kepada masyarakat di DUN ini. Pelangai dan ‘Long Nan’ berpisah tiada. Mereka (pembangkang) ambil kesempatan sahaja. Kehadirannya membantu kempen saya melambangkan beliau sebenarnya memang orang Umno dan tak akan keluar,” kata Amizar.
PRK Pelangai juga barangkali akan diingati sebagai yang kotor mengatasi PRK Pulai dan Simpang Jeram pada 9 September, dengan PN menggunakan apa saja dakwaan – daripada kerajaan perpaduan cacamarba dan mengamalkan liberalisme agama, adanya empat Adun kerajaan akan lompat parti, penggunaan polis lebih ramai daripada biasa untuk menakutkan penyokong pembangkang, Umno gunakan aset kerajaan untuk berkempen hinggalah kepada menyogok beras percuma untuk memancing sokongan.
Kata-kata Muhyiddin dalam sesi dialog bahawa kedudukan Umno ketika ini ialah di “celah kelangkang” DAP dan Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim harus yang paling tidak sopan. Umno, yang dituruti kehadiran Anwar memilih untuk menjawab apa saja tohmahan yang dilontarkan berbanding mengambil pendekatan yang sama terhadap pembangkang.
Satu tinjauan ‘Pelangai Memilih: Antara Legasi dan Perubahan’ membabitkan 1,772 responden merangkumi sembilan pusat daerah mengundi dari 29 September hingga 2 Oktober lalu membayangkan PN akan tewas. Hampir semua responden telah membuat keputusan, dengan 55.5% akan mengundi BN dan 43.2% lagi memilih PN.
Menurut Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya, BN mengekalkan DUN Pelangai semalam dengan 62% bahagian undi. “Berdasarkan dapatan, didapati bahawa naratif perubahan yang dibawa PN masih belum dapat menembusi jiwa pengundi di DUN Pelangai walaupun telah ada peningkatan kecenderungan terhadap PN,” kata Akademi Pengajian Melayu Universiti Malaya (APM) yang menjalankan tinjauan itu.
Laporannya yang disediakan oleh lima penyelidik, Shahrill Sabarudin, Prof Madya Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi, Prof Madya Dr Novel Lyndon, Dr Suffian Mansor dan Nasrullah Mappatang juga menyatakan Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail menikmati tahap populariti yang tinggi, dengan 80.9% menyokong pentadbirannya. Majoriti responden yang tinggal di tiga Felda di Pelangai – Chemomoi, Sungai Kemasul, dan Sungai Kemahal – berkata mereka berpuas hati dengan kerajaan negeri.
Dalam pecutan akhir PN menampilkan bekas perdana menteri Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan Ketua Pengarah Pilihan Raya PN Sanusi Nor sekali lagi dalam ceramah grand finale tapi harus sudah terlambat untuk mengubah kedudukan. Sebaliknya, benarlah telahan Wan Rosdy bahawa kemaraan ‘Gelombang Hijau’ akan dinoktahkan pada PRK Pelangai. - Hishamuddin Aun
Dato Sri Suhaily, Pengarah JSJ.
cheers.
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