KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has slammed Bersatu supreme council member Dr Afif Bahardin for making sexist remarks against Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB) by-election candidate Pang Sock Tao.

Fahmi, who is also the unity government spokesman, said this when responding to Dr Afif’s video on Instagram recently which claimed that Pang, 31, was only selected due to her role as a ‘proxy’ for housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming.

"I think it’s almost as though Afif is not recognising that a woman candidate can stand on her own two feet. How can he come out and say that she (Pang) is anybody’s proxy? She is her own person; just look at her track record.

"Afif is a doctor, you know. So use your mind, think clearly. It is as though you are a misogynist. Respect women candidates. If anything, we should be encouraging more women to come out and contest. Don’t be a sexist, Afif,” said the PKR information chief.

He said this after attending the National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) 2024 Strategic Partners meet-and-greet event at Wisma Bernama here today.

Pang, who is Pekan Ampang DAP branch publicity secretary, previously served as a news presenter for DAP’s UbahTV and Nga’s press secretary, among other career highlights.

The Kuala Kubu Baru state seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent, Lee Kee Hiong, 58, of DAP on March 21 due to cancer.

The by-election will see a four-cornered clash involving Pang, Khairul Azhari Saut (Perikatan Nasional), Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Nyau (Independent).

The Election Commission has set May 11 as polling day and May 7 for early voting.

Meanwhile, when asked about the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s questioning of Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli today to help in investigations into alleged power abuse, Fahmi said MACC should be given space to conduct a thorough probe professionally.

"I believe MACC will follow the process and provisions of the law. We would like to urge all parties to be patient and give space to them to conduct the investigations,” he added.

Meanwhile, Fahmi defended the action of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in lodging a police report against blogger Murray Hunter for accusing the agency and police of being politically influenced by the current government.

"I think they (MCMC) have got legal grounds for the action they are pursuing. Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) they can comment and criticise... feel free to do so.

"I just want to remind them that people have a right to criticise but have no right to slander or touch on issues of race, religion and royalty (3R),” he said.

Yesterday, MCMC said Hunter’s article was deemed libellous because he openly accused MCMC of exceeding its jurisdiction for self-interests, apart from alleging that MCMC and police were acting to scare society.

This caused LFL to criticise MCMC by claiming that its move to lodge a police report was excessive and unnecessary. — Bernama