Source: FMT News

Rights activist says Islam’s history is filled with women leaders, but nowadays some people make an issue out of it. Pic taken from FMT News.

PETALING JAYA: Prominent rights activist Marina Mahathir has lamented that some women buy into the idea that they have to accept a lesser role than males.

In a live interview with the National Human Rights Society (Hakam), streamed on Facebook, Marina said many conservative Muslims believed that women could not become leaders, and this was primarily due to her biological functions.

“Some say a woman cannot become a menteri besar (MB) because she cannot accompany the Sultan for religious functions when she is menstruating.”

However, Marina pointed out that the primary role of a menteri besar was to administer the state, thus a woman’s biological functions should not be used as an excuse to deny her appointment as a person of authority.

It is believed Marina was referring to the objections by some against the appointment of PKR President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as Selangor menteri besar in 2014, during the state’s MB crisis.

Eventually, PKR Deputy President Azmin Ali was appointed menteri besar.

Marina said Islam’s history was filled with female leaders, such as Prophet Muhammad’s first wife Khadija, who was a successful businesswoman during her time, as well as the Prophet’s youngest wife, Aisha, who was regarded as a leader in the community.

“It is not unusual for Muslim women to lead, but nowadays we seem to be making an issue out of it.”

She also spoke on the issue of gender inequality in Malaysia, explaining that it was not an issue limited to the Muslim community. Read more →