Zahid's daughter on her father's 'innocence', men hitting women and Rina Harun

SHAH ALAM - Datuk Nurulhidayah Zahid says she prefers to be neutral in her views and does not like to compare her father nor any individual with anyone else as it is not her place to judge.

Speaking about her father's trial linked to 47 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering in relation to Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) funds, she said it is not her place to say whether her father is innocent or otherwise.

Nurulhidayah told Sinar Daily that the court case has not affected her family's wellbeing.

“I do not want to be seen as pious or religious person but we as a family believe this is Allah’s test to all of us. Even if I want to tell everyone that my father is innocent, who am I to prove to people?

“I am not a judge nor a lawyer. I am not the one who put him in the prosecution,” she said.

She went on to say that she accepts any decision on his father court trial as a challenge to her and her family.

“As long as we accept it wholeheartedly, we will take it with an open heart and mind.

“We just have to accept that it is a test."

The Bagan Datuk MP was also charged with eight counts of bribery and faces charges of money laundering for engaging in direct transactions involving income from illegal activities between 2016 and 2018.

On women representation in politics

Meanwhile, Nurulhidayah said it has not been easy for women ministers to fulfil their job while being in the limelight.

“We have a few women ministers in the Cabinet and personally, I think they are doing quite well as women with responsibilities for family and the rakyat.

“I believe they are highlighted to gauge if they are performing well,” Nurulhidayah said.

On Siti Zailah

Nurulhidayah says she accepts Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, the Women, the deputy Family, and Community Development Minister views on husbands hitting their wives.

She urged rakyat to look at the bigger picture.

“Perhaps, we don’t focus on that one particular part and we look at the bigger picture of what she said.

“In Islam, a man is allowed to hit their spouse but with a limit. So we need to look at it in general terms."

But she said: "a man should not be hitting a woman."

“You are born as a man to be more patient so to protect your woman.”

Siti Zailah was seen saying in the two-minute video that a husband could 'discipline' a stubborn wife by advising her, and later pressure her into behaviour change by separating their sleeping quarters for three days.

"However, if the wife still refuses to take the advice, or change her behaviour after the sleeping separation, then the husbands can try the physical touch approach, by striking her 'gently', to show his strictness and how much he wants her to change," she said in the two-minute video.

She explained that the 'physical touch' must not be painful, and instead be filled with affection.

In another video in the series, she was seen advising the wives to be quiet when their husbands were angry, as doing otherwise would make matters worst.

This drew flak from many quarters NGO's and women politicians who said the advice placed women into submission when faced with possible domestic violence threats.

Many people had also said that Siti Zailah was condoning husbands to 'strike' their wives gently when they were not obedient.

On Rina Harun

Nurulhidayah believes Datuk Seri Rina Harun is "doing well" as Women, Family, and Community Development Minister.

“Eventhough, Rina is from a different party, I think she is doing well but she needs to have the support from her officers".

“As a woman and a minister, she just has to provide guidelines and the officers will execute any plans that they have for the rakyat.”