SHAH ALAM -The action of the Prime Minister who asked for a Form Six female student's phone number has been described as unprofessional and terrifying because the request came from a national leader.
Muafakat Nasional (MN) deputy chairman Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin claimed that his action had directly degraded women's dignity and seemed to bring the country back to the age of ignorance where women were seen only as mere objects.
"A Prime Minister should maintain decorum and ethics while attending events involving the public and should not behave in such a manner.
"Malaysian women in general have fought to raise the country's dignity in various fields and thus should be respected as the backbone of the country's development," she said in a statement today.
On Saturday, Anwar during a 'Temu Siswa' programme at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) had jokingly asked for a female student's number after he was asked several questions.
The Tambun MP's joke, however, received various reactions from the public.
Moreover, Zuraida who is also National Community Mobiliser Volunteer Coordination (PKN) chairman, said Anwar should apologise and immediately rectify the matter before it is considered a new norm in his reign as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia.
"As a mother, I am also worried about this development because if a Prime Minister shows such an attitude during a forum in front of a large audience then what will become of the fate of young women in this country who want to be directly involved in other open discussion programmes organised by the government?
"Additionally, I would also like to praise the Muda deputy president who openly called out the Prime Minister on this matter when all women's wings of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) that are in the Unity Government stayed silent," she said.