Historic moment: Jayakumar posing at the RSC’s Long Bar where a 139-year-old tradition of barring women from its premises was lifted on Sunday in a move to bridge the gender divide at the club. — CHAN TAK KONG/ The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: In a move to bridge the gender divide, a 139-year-old tradition that barred women at the Long Bar of the Royal Selangor Club (RSC) Dataran Merdeka was scrapped on Sunday.
The “no women” rule of the watering hole at the RSC in Jalan Raja, which is among Malaysia’s oldest clubs, was lifted at an extraordinary general meeting attended by about 200 members.RSC president M. Jayakumar said except for a few, there was an overwhelming support from members to vote out the rule and allow women access to the Long Bar.
He said over the years, there were repeated calls by members of both genders to quash the club’s colonial tradition.
Jayakumar said it was a timely move as Malaysia is also a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
He said that in fact, women outnumbered men in the RSC’s membership, making up 53% of the total.
“We have 680 principal female members and about 4,600 privileged female members who are spouses.
“If we were to continue this colonial tradition, we would probably be isolated as the only club in South-East Asia to practise this policy.
“Personally, I have been a strong proponent of gender equality. I have daughters too and expect to see them being treated as an equal,” he said in an interview.
Jayakumar, who is also a member of the City Hall advisory board, said amendments would soon be made to the club’s constitution to enable women access to the Long Bar.
He said in the past, apart from special events, female members were only allowed to patronise the Long Bar on the dawn of a new year and allowed to stay until 5pm before the premises became off-limits again.
“It is on this day when all members present are served our club’s very own signature drink called the Black Velvet, which is a cocktail of champagne and Guinness stout,” he said.
Asked on why the “no women” rule was introduced at the Long Bar, Jayakumar said it had been in place since the inception of the club in 1884.
“Nobody is really sure but from what I gathered, the men during the colonial days played games such as rugby at the adjacent field, which is now Dataran Merdeka, and would later step into the Long Bar for a drink.
“They were sweaty, unkempt and often made a din, sharing dirty jokes after a few drinks.
“Hence, they did not want to offend women folk and decided the place be off-limits to them,” Jayakumar said.
