KUALA LUMPUR: Eight NGOs in Penang have lodged a police report against a bikini fashion show in Kuala Lumpur, which they say commodifies and lowers the status and dignity of women in the country.

They are strongly against the event on Oct 6 at the Hotel Grand Millenium Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur. It's organized by the New York based Bello Models Management.

The NGOs are Pertubuhan Aktivis Pengupayaan Insan Malaysia, Lembaga Kebajikan Perempuan Islam Nisa' Pulau Pinang, Pertubuhan Pergerakan Muslimah Kedah, Pertubuhan Pergerakan Muslimah Pulau Pinang, Teras Pengupayaan Melayu Malaysia, Pertubuhan Menangani Gejala Sosial Malaysia and Persatuan Ulama Malaysia Cawangan Pulau Pinang.

The group's representative Mardziah Zakaria lodged the police report at the Butterworth police station yesterday, accompanied by eight people.


Show Promoted Online

Mardziah said since the organizers of the event have promoted it online, the programme seem to have been approved by the authorities.

She added that once again, Malaysians are being fed with activities that can promote social problems and which treat women like commodities.

"The show touches on the sensitivities of many Malaysians who come from cultures of the east. This show does not respect most Malaysians who are Muslims as Islam is the official religion of the country," Mardziah told reporters after lodging the report.

"The organizers should respect the limits of Islam and publicly displaying women in revealing clothes such as bikinis is wrong.

"What is worse is the organizers are opening the show to anyone from the public as they are advertising it online," she stressed.

Mardziah said this show offered more proof that women are being exploited as "symbols of commercial and consumerism culture" that had no limits.

This would clearly result in women suffering identity crises and a lowering of their self-esteem, she added.

They urged that such events be blocked by the relevant ministries as it exposed women to dangerous forms of exploitation.

Events such as these, they stressed, contribute to social ills which are worsening in the country.


Local Models

Other than the bikini show, they also protested against side events that include international music by DJ Disk Jockey, a swimming pool area party with canapes and drinks, a dance show, photo shoots, and a gathering for media and magazines.

They urged the Tourism Ministry to look into the matter as the event involves foreign tourists as well as foreign organizers based in Malaysia.

They also called on organizations like the Malaysian Islamic Development department, the KL Islamic Council, NGOs, and political parties including higher institutions of learning, to rise up and protest against such activities.

The NGOs also asked if local models were involved and if the authorities gave permission for the international models to take part in the show.


- Malaysiakini

 

 

 

 

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