Women Ministry’s MCO Tips To Giggle & Talk Like Doraemon Draws Backlash Online

https://www.facebook.com/kpwkm/posts/10156728624776790?__tn__=-R

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Staying put indoors during the Movement Control Order (MCO) isn’t easy, especially when you’re cooped up with family members for hours on end.

If you’re a working mother who feels like you need some help from your spouse, instead of nagging, why don’t you ask him nicely in a Doraemon voice, followed by a giggle?

Odd as this advice might be, it was released by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in a series of posters bearing MCO tips.

It didn’t stop there though.

Another poster for mothers working from home recommended that they should avoid wearing house clothes and put on make-up.

The bizarreness of these public service announcements did not go unnoticed and it drew criticisms from various parties, especially women’s rights groups.

YB @RinaMohdHarun please take these sexist & patronising posters down. @KPWKM is supposed to be the bastion of women’s rights & gender equality. These posters entrench gender roles and put unnecessary burden/blame on women. This is not funny. How is this approved? @hannahyeoh pic.twitter.com/GlvU3I5yRC

— Em (@emelliashariff) March 31, 2020

Folks this is the most sexist thing to come out of the Ministry of Women.

It infantalizes women, men, provides unnecessary couples counselling advice steeped in misogyny & perpetuates harmful stereotypes.

Name dropping Doraemon in this context is absolutely shameful pic.twitter.com/eUJDDK1IHZ

— Michelle Yesudas (@chelle_yesudas) March 31, 2020

Women have more than enough to do during the #MCO/#RMO without the added pressure of putting on makeup and looking good.

Women are human too – not an object or a commodity.#DudukRumah https://t.co/mU7nBqbkgk

— All Women’s Action Society (@AWAMMalaysia) March 31, 2020

#KPWKM, the memes are politically incorrect, promotes gender bias & perpetuate misogyny. I’m disappointed that the Ministry is condoning messages which goes against the empowerment of women & gender equality. #definitelyXdoraemonvoice #sdggoal5

— Azalina Othman Said (@AzalinaOthmanS) March 31, 2020

Many were irked by the absurd advice, pointing out that the ministry should focus on more pressing issues.

The Asean Post notes that the virus lockdown has caused a spike in domestic violence across Asia.

In fact, since the MCO began, the ministry’s Talian Kasih hotline for women and children who are experiencing abuse and mental health problems has seen a 57% increase in calls from women in distress.

The “Talian Kasih” helpline for victims of domestic abuse has seen a 57% increase in calls since the implementation of the MCO.

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development:

“Be manja (flirty). Wear make up.”

Maybe then your husbands won’t beat you. pic.twitter.com/yN9wY8H5g7

— tsufae (@tsufae) March 31, 2020

Following the backlash, the “Doraemon voice” posters were removed from the ministry’s social media channels though the make-up one remains online.

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