Stop patronising women, Siti Kasim tells Yadim over plus size pagaent

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PETALING JAYA: Activists have condemned Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) for demanding the cancellation of Miss/Mrs Plus World Malaysia 2020 Grand Final Gala Night scheduled on Jan 2.

Outspoken lawyer Siti Kasim said Yadim and other religious bodies should stop patronising women.

"They tend to condemn pageants involving women, but we do not hear them protesting Mr World, Mr Universe and other pageants involving men.

"They are trying to control women! This is oppression," she said in response to Yadim's protest against Miss/Mrs Plus World Malaysia 2020 gala night event.

Yadim president Nasrudin Hassan has submitted a memorandum to the local authorities, questioning why such an event was allowed in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Siti claimed the Malays had long been oppressed by religious people who tend to intrude into the private lives of individuals whom they viewed as sinners.

"Stop micro-managing others.

"History has proven that people tend to rebel when subjected to authoritative control," she said.

Meanwhile, I'm The Third Force proponent Haris Ibrahim said Yadim should mind its own business.

"Yadim should look at bigger issues, as 5.4 million people in the B40 (lower 40%) group, including foreigners, are struggling because the pandemic has taken a toll on the economy with no signs of improvement in the horizon," he said.

Haris said the health authorities would go after the event organisers if they failed to follow the stringent standard operating procedure imposed to reduce risk of Covid-19 transmission.

In a Facebook posting, the event organiser said the pageant was aimed at creating awareness against body-shaming and bullying.

The organisers also stressed that the participants would not be parading in swimsuits.