Deputy Minister's ‘soft but firm’ advice for husbands raises eyebrows, draws criticism

PETALING JAYA: A two-minute video by Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff advising husbands to physically “touch” their wives in a “soft but firm” way to reprimand them has raised eyebrows and drawn criticism online.

Siti Zailah, who is from PAS, had posted several videos on her social media accounts, on how husbands and wives can tell each other off about their behaviours.

In a video about how husbands can do so, Siti Zailah said for husbands, sometimes a wife does not cover her aurat (areas of her body that should be covered to protect her modesty) or does something that he does not like.

“It is the role of the husband to educate their wives, and the same goes the other way round, too.

“This is to apply a bit of pressure on her to show that he does not appreciate her behaviour.

“If she still refuses to change, or does things that go against Allah’s commands and does not follow discipline, the husband can use a physical touch which is soft and seeks to educate.

“It is full of love, which is not painful but shows firmness that the behaviour should be changed,” she said in the video uploaded on Saturday (Feb 12).

Siti Zailah said similarly for wives, if their husbands refuse to listen to them after being told properly, the deputy minister urges them to pray to Allah to open their husbands’ hearts to such advice.

Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah also tweeted “Are you for real YB Minister? You put women back to the dark ages! Just be a Minister! #WomenHaveRights”