November 04, 2009 15:28 PM

Laws Discriminating Women Should Be Studied - Dr M

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Laws which discriminate women should be studied, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Wednesday.

The former prime minister said that in a Muslim community, there were certain Islamic injunctions which needed to be studied -- whether they were truly Islamic or not -- which discriminated against women.

Fortunately, he said that in Malaysia, it was not so bad, unlike other Islamic countries.

"Freedom of Muslims in this country is far greater than other Islamic countries, and in some instances, non-Islamic countries," he said, agreeing that laws which discriminated against women should be studied.

Dr Mahathir was replying to a question by a representative of Sisters in Islam who had asked whether laws which did not reflect the change of women's role in society, where women were now partners instead of being dominated, should be changed.

He was speaking at the Perdana Leadership Foundation's Tenth Perdana Discourse Series titled, 'The Role of Women and Youth in National Development' here today.

While delivering his keynote address at the event, Dr Mahathir also noted a disturbing pattern where men were apparently more laidback and less serious about their professional lives and contribution to society, as a whole.

"There will be a shift of power and authority between the two genders. When you allow another person to do your work, you will become dependent on them, especially when they can do so much better.

"That's what is happening (now), the men are no longer independent, they're dependent.

"Of course, if we allow this to go on, the dependence of men will increase, independence of women will increase and eventually, they (women) will dominate society and the men will lose their position of authority," he explained.

According to Dr Mahathir's observations, this could, in time, lead to greater social disorder.

-- BERNAMA

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