Bung Mokhtar: Lawmaker or breaker?

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Protestors outside the Gombak Timur Syariah Court (pic courtesy of Women's Aid Organisation)

	"(Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin) is a lawmaker and he is breaking the law, but the way the issue is highlighted makes it seem like there's nothing wrong." "(He) should step down and should not represent Malaysians (in Parliament) any more. That would be the right thing to do." "If he does not resign now, he should at least not be fielded as a candidate for the next election."

EMPOWER executive director Maria Chin Abdullah at a Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) press conference outside the Gombak Timur syariah court on 18 May 2010.
Bung Mokhtar, Kinabatangan Member of Parliament and Barisan Nasional backbencher's club deputy chairperson, pleaded guilty to marrying second wife Zizie Izette A Samad without the court's consent on 20 April. The syariah offence carries a maximum fine of RM1,000 and/or jail of up to six months. (Source: Bung Mokhtar 'not fit' to be MP, Malaysiakini, 18 May 2010)

	"I am always a lawmaker, not a lawbreaker." "If they (JAG) want an answer they should ask in Dewan Rakyat, I don't have to answer them here."

Bung Mokhtar, responding to reporters on 18 May. He declined to respond to JAG's comments, reportedly saying the "questions were silly". (Source: Bung Mokhtar 'not fit' to be MP, Malaysiakini, 18 May 2010)

	"I'm always happy. I'm a happy-go-lucky person."

Zizie, speaking to reporters outside the Gombak Timur syariah court on 18 May. (Source: Bung Mokhtar 'not fit' to be MP, Malaysiakini, 18 May 2010)

	"From the beginning, we were aware of the mistakes we made. The solemnisation of our marriage was 'sah', but the problem was that we did not follow through on the official procedures before we married."

Zizie, after pleading guilty on 20 April to entering a marriage without the registrar's consent. Zizie also reportedly said that she and Bung Mokhtar would probably not have a bersanding ceremony as she was embarrassed to have one. (Source: Zizie calm on pleading guilty to polygamy charge, The Malay Mail, 21 April 2010)

	"She's fine."

Bung Mokhtar, when asked by reporters about his first wife. (Source: Bung Mokhtar 'not fit' to be MP, Malaysiakini, 18 May 2010)

	"Nowhere in the defence mitigation was it stated that the marriage was necessary and reasonable." "The accused (Bung Mokhtar) had bad intentions and had toyed with the marriage solemnisation process and the rules of polygamy according to Syariah law."

Syarie judge Wan Mahyuddin Wan Muhammad, when sentencing Bung Mokhtar on 19 May to one month jail for polygamy and a fine of RM1,000 for abetting second wife Zizie to enter a marriage without consent. Zizie was fined RM1,000 for entering a marriage without a Syariah registrar's consent. (Source: Polygamy: Bung Mokhtar jailed 1 month, fined RM1,000, Malaysiakini, 19 May 2010)

	"The judgement takes into account the bigger picture and the impact on the wives and the children who are affected when the husband enters into polygamy without consent."

WAO president Meera Samanther, speaking on behalf of JAG, commenting on Bung Mokhtar's sentence. (Source: Polygamy: Bung Mokhtar jailed 1 month, fined RM1,000, Malaysiakini, 19 May 2010)

	"I don't even know what I did wrong, so how can I comment?"

Bung Mokhtar, speaking to reporters after the sentence. He was granted a stay of execution for his one-month jail term, pending appeal to the Syariah high court. (Source: Polygamy: Bung Mokhtar jailed 1 month, fined RM1,000, Malaysiakini, 19 May 2010