Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud might have spoken off the cuff and got himself into hot soup with women.

His remarks on his views concerning women's roles in politics, reportedly made at a women's gathering organised by the Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) and several non-governmental organisations last Friday, attracted some adverse reaction from women politicians.

However, local newspapers in Sarawak did not report the hostile reaction to his speech during which he was reported as saying that "only women who are above 40 years would be chosen as candidates to stand in state and parliamentary elections".

Taib was reported to have said that politics was not the priority for women below 40 as they would have problems dividing time between work, marriage and motherhood.

Some of his Barisan Nasional colleagues had rejected the chief minister's views. Puteri Umno head Azalina Othman Said (left) stressed that many young women were successful in their respective fields without neglecting their responsibilities to their families.

Wanita MCA chief Dr Ng Yen Yen also flayed Taib for his comments.

"Age is not important as what's more significant is whether the female politicians can serve the voters and the people," she said.

Comments taken out of context

The English-language daily Sarawak Tribune today carried an interview with Supp Kuching branch chief and Padungan state assembly representative Lily Yong as saying that Taib's comments had been taken out of context by a national newspaper.

Yong, who is also a political secretary to the chief minister, said the newspaper had misinterpreted Taib's message to women.

She said in her speech during last Friday's gathering, she raised her concerns about social ills and criminal activities becoming increasingly rampant, and Taib responded by talking about the need for mothers to play a more active role in guiding their children and making sure they were kept away from troubles.

"I was at the function and heard very clearly the message on women in politics delivered by the chief minister, and it is unfortunate that the good intention of Taib had been misinterpreted and wrongly reported," she added.

Meanwhile, a reporter with the national newspaper told malaysiakini today that he stood by his report, saying he had even offered to let Yong listen to the tape recording of Taib's speech.

She, however, declined, saying there was no point prolonging the matter.

Dayak woman to be selected

Last Saturday, another local English daily The Borneo Post carried a front-page report quoting Taib as saying that a Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Sarawak (PBB) woman leader from the Dayak community would be made a senator.

It also reported him as saying that he would find a suitable person to fill the post.

The Dayak woman leader from Taib's PBB considered as likely to either be appointed a senator or chosen as a candidate to contest the parliamentary elections is Impiang Jabu, a New Zealand graduate, former schoolteacher and wife of Sarawak deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu.

She is one of the top leaders in the PBB women's wing.

There are presently five women in Sarawak politics - two members of parliament and three state assembly representatives, including a state assistant minister - all from the Chinese and Malay communities in the eastern state.